Be Careful What You Ask For!
by Evil Amplified
Summary: They want the truth and will stop at nearly nothing to get it. But will the truth destroy them all? Sixth Season revelation fic.
1. Inquisition

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Summary:** They want the truth and will stop at nearly nothing to get it. But will the truth destroy them all?

**Author's Note:** This fic takes place during season 6 soon after the episode Prince Charmed, where Chris reveals that Wyatt will turn evil in the future. It's my own little Alternate Reality concerning the secrets of Chris Perry Halliwell and how they become revealed. Depending on how well this story is received, it should continue for several chapters. As a warning, in this first chapter I might make Leo and the sisters seem cruel to an extent, but I promise you it is not my intention to bash them. I love them all and eventually will find a happy ending for them. Just keep in mind that Chris just told them that their precious child would become the most evil creature ever created. The strain is just too much for them. I will also warn that this fic jumps into things pretty quickly. So don't be surprised to see a lot of action right off the bat. Rated T for violence and language. _Italics_ in '' are person's private thoughts.

* * *

**Chapter 1 Inquisition**

"Damnit, Chris, I'm tired of hearing the words future consequences. So help me god, if you do not start talking soon I'm gonna blow you to bits," Piper screamed in angry frustration.

"You can't do that," Chris said scowling at her but he immediately saw the look on her face and realized that just maybe she could. He quickly looked to Leo hoping that the Elder would intervene on his part just this once.

"Technically, Piper, that would be murder since he's only half Whitelighter," Leo pointed out to her. Chris nodded smiling smugly.

The anger did not leave Piper's face but she lowered her hands slightly. Then a thought struck her. "Have you been born yet?"

All pretense of bravado immediately left Chris' face. Why would she ask that? "What?"

"I didn't stutter, did I? In this timeline have you been born yet?" Piper was almost positive that Chris was younger than he seemed and was betting on the answer being negative.

"Umm… umm," he stuttered over his own words for a moment. "No," he finally answered not sure where she was heading with this line of questioning but not liking it at all.

"Ha!" she said triumphantly. "If you have not been born yet, then technically it can not be termed as murder. You can't kill someone who isn't alive yet." She crossed her arms and a smug smile colored her lips. "So if you don't want to be blown to bits, start spilling everything you know. You can't just tell me my baby boy is going to turn evil in the future and then drop the whole thing spouting nonsense about future consequences. I won't allow it."

Chris thought about orbing out and giving her time to cool off but he knew that this was his one and only chance at getting back in with the Charmed Ones. But how much could he reveal without his secret being revealed also? "I don't know what else to tell you. I don't have a lot to go on myself."

"Piper, I need to speak to someone 'up there'. Please don't blow him up before I get back," Leo interrupted moving closer to her. "Please, for now, just talk."

Piper nodded but didn't take her eyes off of Chris. Blue and white orbs filled the room as Leo disappeared. '_Yeah, as always, never around when I need ya'. _Chris thought bitterly to himself.

"Listen, Chris, if you want us to believe anything you say at all, you need to be a little bit more honest and forthcoming with us," Phoebe suggested knowing that Piper was on the edge and ready to explode. "I suggest you start with who you are and why you of all people would want to come back to help Wyatt?"

Chris looked away from the sisters and just slightly shook his head. Why that question right off the bat? "I can't answer that," he mumbled not daring to look towards them.

"Wrong answer," Piper snapped raising her hands and launching her power at him just barely nicking his shoulder.

Chris staggered backward with the force of the blow grasping his now burning shoulder. "Damnit, Piper, that hurt." He knew what her aim was like and also knew that she never missed her target, so at least she wasn't trying to kill him, but still how long could that possibly last?

"Don't try to orb, Chris. We'll just summon your ass back here," Paige warned seeing the urge to take flight building in the young Witchlighter.

Chris squared his shoulders even though the strain on the injured one was almost more than he could take. "I'm not running anywhere. I came here to save Wyatt and I can't accomplish that if you all run me off at every opportunity."

"Do you honestly think I'm ever gonna let you near my son again?" Piper asked in an incredulous tone her voice raising several octaves.

Chris blanched at the words. This wasn't going well at all.

* * *

Meanwhile 'up there' Leo was conferring with two members of the tribunal.

"You do understand what you are asking of us, don't you?" a voice boomed from one of the two floating heads surrounding him.

"Yes, yes, I do. We have to figure out once and for all if Chris is a threat to my son and the Charmed Ones," Leo answered solemnly.

"There is only one way that we may approve your request," the other member said. "No powers will be allowed while you are there. Not even yours."

Leo blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected that condition but it would make sense. What he was asking for was unheard of. He just nodded his agreement.

"So be it. You have until midnight." And with those words the two Elder members of the tribunal disappeared.

That gave them a little over four hours. It would have to be enough.

* * *

"Listen, I don't know what you want to hear from me. I've told you everything I can right now. I know you don't trust me, but I'm the only chance Wyatt has. I have enough knowledge from my time to guess which demons need to be investigated. None of you have that. So what choice do you really have?" Chris was about at the end of his frazzled nerves. He was in pain and desperate to convince them and nothing seemed to be going right.

Piper was considering wounding him again in hopes of stopping his same old litany when bright blue and white orbs shone throughout the room. She turned to Leo expectantly. "And what brilliant solution have you come to for our problem?" It was a little more sarcastic than he would hope for but at least she was asking his advice.

Leo glanced at Chris and saw the way he held his shoulder and the ratty tattered appearance of his jacket sleeve. "Piper, I said talk, not maim."

Leo immediately walked towards Chris meaning to heal the young Witchlighter's injured arm but when he was within a few feet of him, Chris balked and pulled back. "Don't touch me. I'm fine."

"Chris, come on, you are gonna need to be at one hundred percent for what's to come," Leo pleaded reaching out to touch Chris' shoulder.

"What do you mean, 'what's to come'?" Chris asked in concern. With those words shining orbs enveloped them all and they disappeared.

When they reformed they were in a room that was black on all sides and standing on a white circular platform with a criss-crossed pattern of tiles covering it and one large circular tile in the center. There were also two tables set up on one side of the platform that only held a few bottles of water and nothing else.

"Where the hell are we?" Piper asked in concern looking all around.

"I didn't expect them to pull us that fast," Leo commented looking around them also. He looked back to Chris and sighed dropping his hands. He hadn't had the time to heal his shoulder and he knew how much pain it would probably be causing him in the next four hours. But there was nothing else for him to do.

Chris also looked around and began shaking his head in disbelief. "The Tribunal. You've brought me in front of the Tribunal. I haven't exposed magic, Leo." Chris immediately tried to orb away but nothing happened. "Why can't I orb?" His panic could be heard in his voice and Leo began to wonder if maybe he had made a mistake. He had wanted to take them to a safe neutral territory where they could discuss everything rationally. He hadn't really wanted to frighten the young Witchlighter like this.

"Listen, Chris. You are not going before the Tribunal. I know how frightening that is for any witch to face. I just borrowed their hearing room for a few hours. And you can't orb because that was the condition they specified. No powers can be used in this room. None of us. Believe me, this whole discussion is gonna be a lot safer for you this way." Leo pointedly looked at Piper who was raising her hands trying in vane to use her powers on anything and getting no results.

Chris squinted his eyes in resentment. "So basically I'm a prisoner here until you get the information you want out of me." He snorted in derision and then added. "Hearing room! More like interrogation room!"

"Chris, I was hoping that you would want to come clean with us. We don't want to force information out of you, but for Wyatt…." He broke off the sentence implying just what they'd do to keep their son safe.

That was such a joke to him. They were worried about keeping their son safe from him, when all he'd ever tried to do was to save him. He knew life would not be easy in the past before he ever left his timeline, but part of him had always assumed that if he told them he wanted to protect Wyatt that they'd at least try to help him. But he had been wrong. Very wrong.

"I hope you brought a book to read, because you aren't hearing or seeing anything from me," came Chris' bitter reply as he motioned towards the center circle, where he knew images from his mind could be projected. With that he spun around and walked to the edge of the platform fuming in pure rage. How had he let everything get this far out of control?

"Leo, can you please explain what this place is?" Paige asked looking around in confusion.

Leo turned to the sisters and tried to explain as best he could. "There is a group of Elders and Demons called The Tribunal. They are in charge of keeping balance between good and evil in our world and of keeping the secret of magic just that, a secret. When a witch or other magical being threatens that balance or threatens our secret they hold hearings to determine what actions to take against them. As a matter of fact The Cleaners report directly to them. You all remember them. But anyway this is where their hearings take place, and I just borrowed it for a few hours to straighten this whole mess out."

"And we have no powers again, because…." Piper asked angrily. This wasn't how she imagined this going. She had been so angry when Chris told her that Wyatt was going to turn evil in the future. No matter what he said, no matter how convincingly he might lie she just couldn't believe that about her baby. All she wanted to hear was Chris admitting that he was lying about Wyatt and she wasn't sure she would hear that if she couldn't threaten him with her powers.

"It is a condition they placed on us using the hearing room. And honestly, it's probably a good idea. This way Chris can't orb out on us and you can't blow him up in your anger." Leo knew he was pushing it by trying to hold Piper back. It was something she normally didn't allow anyone to do, not even him.

Paige was staring at Chris' back and wondering what was going through his mind but then a thought occurred to her. "Hey, future boy, how come you knew about The Tribunal when we didn't?" It was plain to everyone's ears that it was more an accusation than a question.

Oh great, what else were they gonna accuse him of? Chris spun around and the look on his face was one of complete disdain. "You all just can't paint me as anything but something evil, can you?"

"That's not an answer, Mister," Piper shot back.

Chris scowled at her for a moment but realized that if he didn't say something this was just gonna be a contest of who could tick the other one off more so he nodded in self-defeat and then answered the best he could without revealing his secret. "Let's just say that my family has had a run in or two with The Tribunal."

"But not you personally?" Piper asked.

"No, I haven't had the honor yet," he answered his voice dripping with sarcasm. Even if he was willing to give them a small amount of information he still wasn't gonna sit back while they made unfounded accusations.

"Chris, the answers we want from you aren't that hard for you to give. Why are you being so stubborn about this?" Leo asked in annoyance. "If you truly want to help Wyatt, wouldn't it be easier to work with us instead of against us?"

Chris threw his head back closing his eyes in a sign of exasperation as a large sigh left his lips. "I am not working against you. I just can't give you the answers you want. Why can't you just accept that? We are wasting precious time with all of this. Time that should be spent finding the demon that turns Wyatt." For anyone who was objective it was easy to hear the pleading quality his voice had taken and see the sense he was making, but no one in the room could have been accused of being objective at that time.

"Chris, we don't need **you** to keep Wyatt safe," Piper said bitterly letting her anger at the young man lace every word.

That was the last straw. He had tried to reason with them but it wasn't doing him any good at all. "Apparently you do," Chris bit out angrily lowering his eyes back to them. Something in him just snapped and he couldn't stand the sight of any of them right then as bitter words came unbidden to his tongue. "Otherwise he would have never turned in the first place and I wouldn't be stuck in this time trying to convince you all that your son is more important than your egos."

Piper blanched at the words as if she had been slapped and Leo's face turned into a mask of rage. Paige and Phoebe were frozen in utter disbelief at his words. How dare he insinuate that they would let Wyatt come to harm for their own pride.

Chris knew he had crossed the line the moment the words were out of his mouth. He never wanted to see that hurt look in Piper's eyes. He was used to anger coming from Leo but Piper didn't deserve his biting remarks. She had done everything to try to raise her son to be an honest, decent witch but somehow it had all just gone wrong. It wasn't her fault. "I'm sorry, Piper… I didn't mean it like that."

But his words came too late as Leo launched forward and his fist connected with Chris' jaw. Chris went sprawling backwards and landed on his back. He looked up at Leo in utter disbelief. He had stuck him, **again**. It wasn't the first time Leo had done that. But the last time, after they had found him being held prisoner by the Valkyries, Chris had felt that he probably deserved it. After all it was he who had set Leo up to be taken. But this time, did he really deserve it he wondered? "Real pacifistic move there, Elder," he spit out in anger a slight bit of blood flying from his lips and landing on the white tile next to him.

"I'm not an Elder right now, Chris. I'm a father," Leo answered moving forward crossing his arms in front of him, hoping he wouldn't have to repeat the strike. He still hated violence in any form but the young man had hurt Piper and that was more than he could stand for. It didn't matter that they weren't husband and wife anymore. He still cared very deeply for her and he would not allow Chris or anyone else to hurt her. Not while he was still standing.

"You could have fooled me there," Chris mumbled pushing himself off the ground and standing tall.

"What did you say?" Leo asked unfolding his arms ready to strike again if he had to his eyes squinting in anger.

"You heard me! Since when does a good father spend more time at 'work' than he does with his son? Since when does he abandon them for that same 'work'? Can you answer that?" In all honestly Chris wasn't sure if he was speaking about Wyatt or himself, but it didn't really matter anymore to him. He was tired of being the one who always got hurt. He wanted Leo to feel pain, just as he had many times in the past.

"How dare you imply that I'm a bad father to Wyatt? I love my son. And I'm there for him as often as I can be," Leo bellowed in complete rage as he moved closer to Chris with his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

"Take it from someone who knows you better than you do yourself, you aren't now, nor will you ever be, a good father!" That was it. That was the final straw. The most bitter of accusations that Chris could utter against him and no matter how much it hurt to voice them he just couldn't keep them in any more.

Leo blinked once and then his self-restraint was completely gone, as his fist struck out landing hard again on Chris' cheek. With that Chris flew backwards landing against one of the tables his back striking the edge. The table slid to the far edge of the platform and Chris reached back grasping his lower back where it had struck. "Who the hell do you think you are?" Leo screamed in rage. "You say you know me. I don't believe you. How am I to know that you aren't here to kill my son? Maybe you're the one who turns Wyatt. Or maybe that's all just a smokescreen to get you close to him, so you can kill him."

Chris was up within seconds and had launched himself on top of Leo fists flying as he knocked him to the ground landing on top of him. "Shut up! Just shut up!" he screamed pounding his fists into Leo's face. Leo was stunned and didn't try to fight back. The amount of loathing and hate he could hear in those simple words was staggering.

"Chris, stop!" Phoebe yelled being the first one to react moving forward and trying to grab Chris' arm.

"No!" he screamed shoving Phoebe away from him and then continued pounding Leo's face. "You don't know me! You don't know anything about me!"

Then it was Paige's turn to try to stop him as she too tried to grab his arm. Again Chris shoved her off and continued pounding the whole time screaming at Leo. "You don't know what I've done. You don't know what I've gone through, what I've lost, all to save your precious son!" Each word was filled with raw emotion along with the anger. And even as Leo tried to block the punches it wasn't hard to see the tears that had started to spill from the young man's eyes.

"Damnit, Leo. Powers would be good about now," Piper whispered trying to come in on Chris' side to push him off.

Chris was about to shove her away also when he saw her face and the worried look it held; that same worried look that he remembered from his youth whenever he or his brother were sick or in trouble. He froze as she grabbed his arm.

"Chris, please stop this," she whispered seeing that she'd gotten his attention.

He stared into her deep brown eyes and the tide finally broke inside him as a sob broke from his lips. He looked down to Leo's face, correction his father's face and saw the blood running from his busted lip and nose and Chris pushed himself backwards off of Leo the sobs choking him as he desperately tried to get away. "Oh god, what have I done?" he finally forced out through the sobs. He tried to stand but his entire body felt as if it was made of led as he fell again to his knees pushing himself back further along the floor.

Leo had sat up and was wiping the blood from his lip and staring at Chris through eyes that felt as if they were starting to swell. What he saw was beyond confusing. Though just a moment before Chris' eyes had been filled with hate and anger they were now completely remiss with guilt and sorrow. It didn't make any sense at all. If he hated him so much why did he regret hitting him?

"Oh god, I shouldn't have done that. Oh please no!" Chris cried again trying to stand yet again to get away. This time his leg caught on one of the chairs and he went down again falling to the side and catching his temple on the edge of the table, sending the table sliding off the platform and Chris slamming into the floor where it had stood.

* * *

_A/N: Well that's the first chapter. I warned it would be quick moving. What does everyone think?_


	2. The Neurotic Demon Hunter

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N**: All words in _italics_ are flashbacks being shown in the center tile.

Everyone seemed to like the fact that Leo got what he deserved in the last chapter. I didn't know so many people were that mad at him. But as I said in my last author's note, I have no intention of making him into the bad guy. So that being said he'll begin to make a slight change in this chapter but it's a slow going process for him. So have some patience with the poor guy.

* * *

**Chapter 2 The Neurotic Demon Hunter**

"Chris," Phoebe yelled moving forward and kneeling beside him. Everyone else seemed frozen in their tracks. "Chris, can you hear me?" she asked shoving him onto his back. His eyes were open but there was a large gash beside one of them with blood running freely from it. His eyes didn't seem to focus as she looked into them. "Leo, help!"

Leo stood and moved next to Phoebe and Chris kneeling beside him. He looked at the gash and then at Chris' eyes. "Can you see me, Chris? Can you hear me?"

Chris blinked a couple of times and then nodded. "Yes," he whispered taking a shuttering breath.

"I need something to stop the bleeding." Even though the young Witchlighter had been pounding the hell out of him just moments before Leo's training as a medic was ingrained into his very being and he couldn't ignore the fact that Chris was seriously injured. He could see the way his pupils were unevenly dilated. That signified something very serious. A concussion at the least and possible brain damage to follow. Not a good sign at all with them stuck where they were for almost four more hours and Leo not able to heal.

Phoebe pulled the cream colored shawl she was wearing from her shoulders and handed it to Leo. Leo nodded his thanks and then held the soft material to the bleeding wound. Chris hadn't made a sound since answering Leo's question before and he didn't act as if he was really there at all. "Chris, how many fingers am I holding up?" Leo asked placing three fingers in front of Chris' face.

Chris looked towards the fingers and just shook his head eliciting a small groan from his lips. "Quit moving them. I can't count," he finally answered.

"Don't move your head, Chris. You might have injuries we can't see," Leo ordered.

Chris didn't answer, but his eyes started to drift closed.

"Hey don't you go to sleep on me. You gotta stay awake, now." Leo was almost in a panic. He really didn't want to see the young man just drift off and never wake back up again. He had been furious at the young Witchlighter a few moments before but he didn't hate him and began to wonder at his own accusations. Chris hadn't given them any indication that he'd ever try to hurt Wyatt and had even had the opportunity to do so and hadn't taken it. Leo just couldn't understand what it was about the young Witchlighter that always seemed to push his buttons. But it had been that way since the first day they had met.

Piper and Paige had moved in closer where they could see what Leo was doing. "How bad is it, Leo?" Piper asked a slight bit of concern coloring her voice. She could hear the worry in Leo's own voice and it didn't bode well. Normally an injury like this wouldn't have mattered that much. Leo could have just healed it and been done. But with their powers all down…

Leo looked up to her and the look he gave her was not encouraging. He didn't want to say anything to upset Chris so he hoped the look on his face would be enough to satisfy Piper.

"Oh… oh…" was her answer as she stared back down to Chris who looked as if he didn't even realize they were there. "How long are we stuck here?" she finally asked realizing that Leo wouldn't want her to say anything that Chris might not want to hear.

"Four hours," Leo answered turning back to Chris and checking the wound that he was still applying pressure too. The bleeding had slowed some but not completely.

At that moment they all shared the same thought. Four hours seemed like forever in their current circumstance.

Chris once again began to let his eyes droop closed. "Chris, common, stay awake. Talk to me," Leo pleaded again. Dangit, he was responsible for this. No matter what Chris had said and no matter how angry he had made him, Leo still had thrown the first punch and that made it his fault.

"I'm tired, Leo," was his answer as he tried to open his eyelids, which felt like lead weights. "Always so tired."

Paige kneeled on the other side of Chris next to Phoebe seeing that they'd have to keep him talking if they were gonna save him. "Well if you weren't such a neurotic demon hunter you wouldn't be so tired all the time," she quipped.

The others looked at her sharply and she gave them a shrug and a 'go with it' look.

Chris chuckled quietly for a second. "Sorry, it's what I do. It's always what I've done for as long as I can remember." His words were soft and he seemed as if he were a million miles away as he said it.

Without warning the circular tile behind them lit up and an image projected above it. _It showed a young teenage boy wearing stained jeans and a longsleeve shirt that had holes ripped in it. It was hard not to see the likeness between the boy he had been and the man he had grown into. His dark brown hair was slightly longer but his crystal green eyes were unmistakable. In his hands he held three potion vials and they could see him turning as three demons shimmered in behind him._

Piper gasped and immediately threw her hands up to protect the child before she realized that what she was seeing wasn't real.

_One of the demons threw a fireball at him and he dodged to the side missing it by only inches as his hand flew to the side knocking the demon away with his telekinetic power. He took the second demon by surprise with this move and threw one of the potion vials vanquishing it on the spot and then followed up by dodging the other way as the third demon produced an athame and threw it towards him. The boy was not so lucky as the weapon sliced through the side of his shirt catching the skin over his ribs._

Piper gasped seeing blood spray come from the wound as her hand flew to her mouth. He was so young. He couldn't have been much older than fourteen. What was he doing all alone in a dark alley at night fighting demons? Where were his parents, the people who were supposed to protect him?

_But the boy did not stop to worry over the wound as he used the second potion vial on the demon. As he began to turn to face the first demon that he had thrown, an arm circled around his throat and he looked back to see the demon's smiling face. "Not so lucky this time, are ya kid?"_

_The boy immediately let his weight drop as he squirmed to free himself from the chokehold. It was plain to see the fear in the boy's eyes but the determination was there too. Finally he managed to get his teeth into the demon's arm, causing the monster to scream and let go. The boy dropped to the ground rolling away one hand clutching his damaged throat and the other tossing the vial at the demon._

The image blinked out on the boy lying in a puddle of his own blood coughing painfully his forehead pressed against the cold asphalt.

As the others had watched in shock and horror Chris had managed to summon the strength to lean up on his elbows to see what they were looking at. "Why did it show you that? I'm no where near the center tile," he asked in confusion.

Leo turned back to him and his eyes widened and he tried to push Chris back down. "Chris, I said not to move."

"I'm fine," he said pushing Leo's hands away and sitting the rest of the way up still staring where his memory had just played out for them. He seemed more lucid but still his eyes held a far away look that belied just how fine he really was. "I didn't project that. Why did it show you?" His voice sounded slightly frightened.

Leo decided that he probably wouldn't be able to force Chris to lie back down but he would keep a close eye on him at least. "When you hit your head it must have damaged the part of your mind that blocks images from the outside world. The tile senses that yours is the only mind that it can read and it's pulling your memories."

"Well make it stop," Chris hissed angrily.

"I can't. I don't control it. There's no telling what it's gonna project," Leo tried to explain with a slightly apologetic look on his face.

Chris shook his head worry and fear coloring his face and then immediately regretted it as the pounding increased tenfold. He tried to say something, anything but no words would surface. This was bad. This was very bad.

"Chris, that was you?" It had been obvious to them that it was but Phoebe still wondered about what kind of life would put a child into that kind of situation.

He nodded, not trusting his own voice.

"Why were you alone?" Piper asked still staring into the empty space above the tile.

Chris became confused at her question and didn't answer. She turned to him and saw the confusion written on his face. "Why wasn't there someone there to protect you?"

Chris understood then what she was getting at. To her, parents protected their young without reservation. She couldn't understand why his parents hadn't been there to protect him like she and Leo had always done for baby Wyatt. "My brother came to get me not long after that," was the only answer he could think to give her. He didn't want the tile to project anything else, so he knew he'd have to answer the question. What he didn't tell her was that when Wyatt had arrived it had been only to take him prisoner after healing the athame wound. Chris had rebelled so fiercely when Wyatt had told him of his plans to rule the world shortly after the death of their mother and aunts. He had spent many months on the streets hiding from the demons that were sent but this time it had been too hard and he had been caught.

"But your parents. Why were you there alone to begin with?" she asked again in fear of his answer.

"Piper, I wasn't lying when I told you I barely knew my family." He absolutely refused to tell them anymore than that. It would just have to be enough.

"I'm sorry," she finally said remembering how she had accused him of blaming her and her family for him not having a family. It was one of the first few conversations she had had with him and at the time she had not been herself, seeing that Leo had turned her into a God to defeat the Titans. She hadn't realized what exactly his words had meant. At least not until now.

"Don't be. It's in the past and I honestly don't care about it anymore." It was an out and out lie and Chris knew it. But for months now he had been trying to build up an uncaring façade to keep them at arms length. After those words he stood slowly and made his way to one of the chairs next to the table that was still on the platform and took a seat. From the position he was in none of them could see his face and that was exactly how he wanted it. "Now if you don't mind, I've got a headache and I'm tired of talking." With those words he leaned his forehead against his palms and closed his eyes, willing all thoughts out of his mind. It was the only way he could think to control what that center tile pulled from his mind.

Piper and the others stared as he moved slowly but didn't offer to help him and didn't open their mouths to comment on how much pain he must really be in. She and Phoebe shared a look that said there was so much more to this than what he had said. Even without her empathic powers Phoebe could tell he was holding onto a lot of emotional baggage. Why hadn't they seen that before?

* * *

_A/N: Well, what do you all think of the second chapter? I know it's a little short but that's just where it seemed natural to end it. At least everyone's a little bit calmer now. Well for now at least._


	3. Proof Positive!

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended. 

**A/N:** Before someone complains, I do realize that most of this chapter is a flashback from an episode in season 6. It is not there because I wanted to fill a chapter. It is just a starting point towards the flashback journey that is being taken. I promise all other flashbacks will be original and something that no one has seen before. Well not unless you can read my mind that is.

* * *

**Chapter 3 Proof Positive**

For several long minutes they all sat in silence as they each had a lot on their minds.

Piper wasn't sure about her own emotions. She was still very angry with the young man. He didn't seem to know the meaning of the word honesty and he was adamant about the fact that Wyatt was evil in his future. How could that be? Not her precious little baby. He had been nothing but sunshine and light to her since the day of his birth. Well there was the dragon incident but that was just him being lonely and wanting a playmate. But then again it was that same motherly instinct that was confusing her now. It was one thing to have a twenty something man tell you that his life was crap growing up but a whole other thing to see him as a boy being attacked by demons. She had wanted so desperately to pick that boy up and hold him promising him that she would keep the demons away from him. It was so difficult to see that hurt little boy inside the young man who she had come to almost hate.

Leo's feelings concerning Chris since the day he had arrived had bounced back and forth. At first he had distrusted him, and then after Valhalla he had hated him. But then Chris had saved his butt when they had visited the Cretaceous Period. That had changed his feelings slightly. Then there was the whole ordeal with Bianca. He had seen the pain Chris was in when he had tried to care for him. That had been a sort of turning point for Leo. He had begun to see Chris as a person with feelings, even if he was a liar. But this last thing, Wyatt evil, how could he ever believe that? How could he ever trust that Chris wasn't lying to them?

Paige knew that most of the time she treated Chris with a great amount of annoyance and distrust. He could be so exasperating and didn't ever seem to care what the rest of them wanted. And he gave new meaning to the word disrespect. She knew that he had to be somewhere in his twenties but often times she compared him to the teenage guys she had went to high school with. Cocky, demanding and belligerent. Yeah, that's how she had always seen him. But now that she thought hard about it, didn't he have a right to act that way? If he had grown up without a family and fighting demons on top of it didn't that give him the right to be angry? And as far as being demanding, the only thing he had ever been demanding about was his quest to destroy the demon that turns Wyatt. Would she have been any different in his place? Now the cockiness, that was probably just him. She could rib him about that one without feeling guilty all she wanted to. This brought a small satisfied smile to her lips.

Phoebe's mind was running along a different path than the others. She was much more concerned with the emotions that she knew he normally blocked from her. Even if he could block them from her empathy abilities there had been several times that she had noticed how he would flinch at harsh words from them. For the most part she just shook it off as nothing important but truthfully, if the boy really had no family of his own or if his family just didn't care wouldn't it be hard to face the rejection that The Charmed Ones often heaped on him? She couldn't stand just keeping quiet anymore. "Chris, you know that we don't really hate you don't you?" she asked softly.

Chris raised his head from his hands and thought for a moment. He knew if he didn't answer soon the tile would find something to show them to answer for him. "Honestly, Phoebe, no I don't know that. But that's not why I'm here and it's not really all that important either. I have one reason for being in this time and I can't let anything else matter or I'm gonna fail. And I don't want to go back there if I fail."

"To keep Wyatt from turning evil?" Leo asked angrily knowing exactly what Chris was referring to.

Chris sighed. "Yes."

Phoebe could see the anger building in Leo again. She knew it was a father's reaction to someone speaking ill of his son and that it wasn't like Leo to be that way, normally. "Chris, you just have to understand. We all love Wyatt and the only thing we've seen of him is that cute, sweet, innocent, baby. We haven't seen the things you say you've seen, so it's really hard to grasp what you want us to."

Chris thought for a moment. He could always tell them some of the atrocities he had lived with but he discarded the idea immediately. "Honestly, Phoebe, I don't want you to think of Wyatt that way. None of you. You shouldn't have to. That's the reason why I never wanted to tell you all why I was really here. I didn't want to put you through that. I don't want any of you to see my memories of a world where he is evil."

Leo's eyebrows rose in surprise. Was he telling the truth? Was he just trying to protect them from being hurt? For some reason Leo was still skeptical. "Well maybe it's something we need to see. If not, none of us may ever be able to trust you, Chris."

With that the center tile lit up, not giving Chris time to form a response and started to form a scene that Chris was all too familiar with and what little color that was in his face drained away as he looked away, not able to face the last painful moment he had spent with his brother and the love of his life. A small groan escaped his lips as the image began to move.

_As Chris and Bianca stepped from the portal they were met with the site of six demons standing before them and one person behind. "Welcome home, Chris," came the calm voice of the hidden man. As he did so the demons parted and looked back to their leader._

_He walked forward into the light of the room and it wasn't hard to see his wavy long blonde hair, dark almost obsidian eyes and strong features. If it wasn't for the look of deep malice he carried he could have been called handsome._

"_Hello, Wyatt," Chris said calmly. The two men stared at each other in something akin to resentment._

A gasp was heard as Piper recognized the man her son would grow into. And then the image proceeded on.

_As Wyatt walked across the room towards his captive the loose floorboard creaked under his weight but it did not seem to faze him. He crossed between the six demons and approached Chris until he was but a few feet in front of him._

_Wyatt glanced at Bianca and she nodded slightly to him. "They're not a threat to me," he spoke with a confident look upon his face._

_The six demons immediately shimmered from the room leaving only Wyatt, Chris and Bianca._

"_Et tu, Chris?" Wyatt asked quietly then turned to walk away from them. "Of all the people to betray me."_

"_I didn't go back to betray you, Wyatt. I went back to save you," Chris said clearly without any seeming fear of the other more larger and more powerful witch._

_Wyatt had walked several feet from them when he heard this and spun around to look at Chris. "Save me. Huh, from what?" came his incredulous reply._

"_From whatever evil it was that turned you," Chris answered._

"_That's always been your problem, Chris," Wyatt said looking down and running his hand over the Book of Shadows, which still rested on the podium. "Stuck in the old good vs. evil morass." With those words it was easy to see the unbelievable look cross Chris' face as he looked away from Wyatt and down to the floor. "I'm so past that. It's all about power. It's as simple as that."_

"_And whoever has the most power wins. Is that it?" Chris asked. _

"_That's it," Wyatt affirmed. Chris only shook his head at the statement. "That's why I keep this museum intact. To remind everyone of the power of which I was born. Which I possess."_

Leo winced hearing the uncaring, cold tone of his son's voice. What on earth could have ever turned him into something so full of malice? Into a creature that Leo could barely recognize as his own son.

_At that Chris began to walk forward. "To bad the rest of the city isn't fairing as well as your little shrine here."_

_Wyatt then stepped forward and walked towards Chris also. "You know if anyone else tried what you tried, I'd kill them on the spot. But you…" with that Wyatt paused and Chris could be seen swallowing hard. "I've forgiven Bianca," Wyatt began and Chris turned his head towards her and then back to Wyatt. "I can forgive you too. If you promise never to cross me again."_

_The look of determination increased on Chris' face. "I think you know me better than that."_

_Wyatt turned his attention to Bianca. "I thought you said you could talk some sense into him." With that Bianca immediately strode forward next to Chris._

"_Leave her out of this," Chris demanded, but was cut off as Wyatt raised his hand and slowly started squeezing his fist shut. Chris immediately grasped his throat and started gasping for breath. A gasp could be heard from Bianca seeing what Wyatt was doing. Wyatt's arm started lowering and as it did Chris sunk to the floor on his knees pain evidently written across his face._

"Oh my god, Wyatt, no!" Piper yelled at the image. She couldn't believe just how cruelly her son could behave. She could tell by the way that Wyatt talked that he and Chris must have known each other for some time, even been close friends if Wyatt had went to all that trouble to bring him back there and tried to convince him to join him. How could he torture someone who he acted as if he cared for?

"_Pardon me?" Wyatt asked a look of pure loathing in his eyes. Then his hand flew to the right and Chris was bodily tossed like a rag doll across the room behind Bianca flying into a wooden cabinet in the corner smashing it into pieces._

_Bianca strode forward. "You promised you wouldn't hurt him," she said loudly in defiance._

"_You promised you'd turn him, just like I turned you, or I thought I had," Wyatt countered. _

_Bianca turned and ran to where Chris was rolling on the floor in pain kneeling beside him. A lone tear could be seen streaking down her cheek. "Chris, please. I didn't bring you here to die."_

_Chris stared from Wyatt to her still lying on the floor. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Wyatt stood waiting for Chris to make a move and wasn't disappointed as Chris began to stand. "I think."_

_Once Chris had gotten to his feet he rushed forward towards Wyatt but the much stronger Witch stepped aside and threw Chris into a table behind him crashing the piece of furniture. "Have you lost your mind?" Wyatt asked as Chris looked up from where he lay with his hair falling down in front of his face. Then Wyatt's hand came up again in that choking motion "I don't need you," he said icily using telekinesis to lift Chris up to the ceiling choking him again. Then his other hand rose with an energy ball upon his palm. _

Leo had moved to stand beside Piper, wanting desperately to shield her from this image of her baby. Piper turned her face into his shoulder, not able to watch as Wyatt tried to end Chris' life. But Chris was alive with them. How had he escaped? She opened her eyes again but still clung to Leo for comfort.

_Chris struggled for breath as Bianca stood and rushed behind Wyatt. Just as Wyatt was about to throw the energy ball Bianca shoved her hand into Wyatt's back using the power draining technique that was unique to the Clan of the Phoenix. _

_As Wyatt threw his head up in pain the energy ball fizzled out and Chris dropped to the floor with a thud._

"_Whatever you're gonna do, do it fast. I can't hold him for long." Bianca called out holding a tenuous grip on the powerful being. _

_Chris immediately scrambled forward and threw back the rug covering the squeaky floorboard and then ripped the board up itself. He grasped the spell that was inside and unfolded it as dust from many years fell from the old crinkled paper. _

_The power of witches rise,_

_Come to me from across the skies,_

_Return my magic, give me back, _

_All that was taken from the attack!_

_Chris recited the spell glancing up as a blue light enveloped him. It was as if a large breath returned to his body as he regained his lost powers._

_At that moment Wyatt broke free from the power draining technique kicking out behind him striking Bianca square in the face and throwing her back across the room. She landed with a resounding wet sound as she was pierced through the stomach by a sharp broken piece of the cabinet that Chris had crashed into earlier._

Phoebe gasped at the sound knowing that there was no way for the Phoenix to survive this one. No wonder Chris was so closed off when he returned to them. Bianca had died saving him. Her sacrifice must have been tearing him apart bit by bit with everyday he lived through since then.

_Chris stood and threw his arm out roughly tossing Wyatt across the room with his telekinetic power. Wyatt flew up hitting the artificial lighting hanging from the ceiling and then fell to the floor dazed._

_Chris rushed to Bianca's side leaning over her placing one hand on her side. "Bianca. No, no!" he said his voice raw with emotion. _

"_Haven't we been here before?" she asked between gasps a small smile lighting her face at a shared joke between them. _

_Chris nodded to her. "Maybe we will be again." He tried to put as much hope into his voice as he could for her sake._

_She nodded and whispered out, "Maybe."_

_Chris' head lowered to her chest as the emotions threatened to overtake him. Bianca took his hand placing an object there and then let go saying. "You can finish what we started."_

_Chris raised his hand seeing the engagement ring he had given her in his hand closing his eyes swallowing hard._

_At that moment Wyatt began to rise groaning behind Chris. _

_Bianca noticed and warned him, "Hurry. Take the spell so he can't send anyone else. Go!" she said desperate to get him away from harm._

_Chris nodded and stood quickly taking one final look at her and then ran to the podium holding the Book flipping through the pages till he found the one he needed. _

_As he began to chant the spell Wyatt drew back his arm forming another energy ball._

_Hear these words,_

_hear the rhyme,_

_heed the hope within my mind,_

_Chris automatically ducked as he saw the energy ball heading towards him as it whizzed above his head and exploded behind him. Then he stood back up to finish the spell. _

_Send me back to where I'll find,_

_What I wish in place and time._

_With the last word the Triquetra began to glow as the portal was opened just a few feet from where Chris stood. Chris grabbed the spell and dived towards the portal giving Wyatt one last loathing look before he dove through._

_Wyatt screamed, "No!!" as he let loose one last energy ball which collided with the now normal wall scorching it black. _

As the image faded away a stunned group was left behind. Paige and Phoebe both had tears in their eyes and Piper had again buried her face in Leo's shoulder wanting so much to deny what she had seen but knowing that it was now impossible to do so.

* * *

_A/N: Comments? I really wanted you all to see what their reactions would be if confronted with what Wyatt had become._


	4. Best Friends

**Disclaimer**: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** You know, I have never recieved such great comments on a fic before this one. I'm so glad everyone is liking it and I hope you continue to do so. You are all wonderful. This chapter is slightly less emotional than the others but don't worry I've got plenty more heartbreak to come.

* * *

**Chapter 4 Best Friends**

Chris hadn't been able to watch it happen again. It was ingrained into every cell of his existence already. It consumed his dreams when he allowed himself to sleep and many of his thoughts while he was awake. He just couldn't bear to watch it again, especially not with them standing around him. He had stood quietly and walked to the edge of the platform as far away from them as he could taking a seat staring into the blackness surrounding them. He gripped his head between his palms staring off into nothing as the pain became worse with each second that the image played behind him. None of the others noticed as they were all wrapped up in the scene before them.

Utter blackness, nothingness. That is what he would call the room or more appropriately void around them. He envied this cold dark space. The nothingness it held was so much more tempting than the turmoil he felt inside. If only he could fill his heart with that black nothingness and not have to feel all the pain that these memories and these people with him caused. To be free of the overwhelming responsibility for the entire world's future. It was such a seductive thought but one he could not allow himself for long.

As the image faded away the room became utterly silent. He knew that nothing was said in that vision that would betray his secret. That alone was a blessing, but nothing else about them seeing it was. He hadn't been lying to Phoebe. He had never wanted them to see the Wyatt he had lived with the past few years. It would bring them nothing but pain he knew. He did not speak, waiting for the questions that would surely follow, and they did.

Paige was the first to recover from the image as she turned to the table he had been sitting at. When she noticed he was not there she turned around in panic wondering what could have happened to him. When her eyes found him he was sitting on the edge of the platform with his shoulders slumped and his head between his palms. She had originally wanted to ask him about the image but her worry surfaced first. "Chris, are you okay?"

He knew he had to get a hold of himself and keep control of his emotions. So he sat a little straighter and answered in the mildest tone he could pulling his hands down away from his temples. "Fine, Paige. I've just seen that before and didn't see the sense in reliving it. It's in the past."

The other three had turned towards him also realizing that he wasn't where they had left him. Phoebe stepped forward first her immediate instincts to ignore the tone of his voice and go on what she knew had to be in his heart. She was only inches behind him when she laid a hand on his shoulder. "I know how hard this must be for you, Chris. I'm so sor…" But Chris cut her off before she could finish.

"Don't be. I told you when I came back that it was over and she couldn't harm anyone again. It's over and I don't dwell on it anymore." His voice had adopted a cold uncaring feeling that froze Phoebe where she stood. No one could be that unaffected by something this devastating. She knew it.

And she wasn't giving up either. She sat beside him, facing him careful not to touch him as she did so. "Chris, you might be shutting it all out, but you can't truly be over it. Something like that is impossible to move past in such a short time. The sacrifice she made for you…"

"Don't. Just don't. I don't need anyone to psychoanalyze me, Phoebe. What was between Bi… Bianca and I is my business. Not anyone else. And I don't ever want any of you to mention it again." His voice still held that cold uncaring feeling but Phoebe had caught how he had stuttered over her name. There was no doubt he was still grieving his lost love but he wanted to grieve alone.

She nodded. "Okay, honey," she whispered standing and moving away from him. He wasn't gonna talk to her anymore. She was sure of it. She shrugged to her sisters and went to sit at the table where he had been a few moments before.

Paige decided that maybe where Phoebe's loving demeanor had failed maybe her sarcastic style would win out. "All right, Chris, you don't want to talk about that, but what about Wyatt? You two sure seem to have a love hate relationship going on there. Mind enlightening us on that situation."

Chris snorted at that. Paige always did know how to hit the nail on the head. "I guess you could say that. It's not often that a friend tries to kill you though, so the juries still out on the love part."

Piper chose to ignore the sarcasm and be serious about it. After all she was trying to get to the bottom of what her son had become. So she dried her puffy eyes pulling away from Leo's grasp and said the first thing that came to mind. "Yeah see, I never thought of that possibility before. You and Wyatt must have been pretty good friends for you to be willing to come back here, like you did,"

Chris sighed. Oh how would he explain that without letting the cat out of the bag? But yet again at that moment the center tile decided to butt into the conversation. Chris heard the first words and spun around praying that the image would not be something he would regret.

"_Come on, Chris. We are gonna be late," a blonde haired boy called out to the younger, smaller boy behind him. _

"_You know, Wy, I don't know why I let you talk me into this. I don't even like football," Chris called out catching up to the older boy._

"_I didn't say you had to try out for the team, goofy. If you want you can just watch," Wyatt said rolling his eyes in exasperation. _

"_Yeah, right. So I can seem like one of your flunkies. No thanks. I can take my licks just as easily as you," Chris answered full of bravado. "Besides, Cindy Kramer said she'd be there today."_

"_Oh, Chris, you don't really think you have a chance with 'oh so perfect Cindy Kramer' do you? She's such a snob," Wyatt teased knowing exactly what Chris thought about the girl. She was only the most popular girl in the school and decidedly the best looking to boot._

_Chris shoved him from behind only slightly throwing him off balance. "No she's not, Wy. I think she's nice."_

"_Oh man, you got it bad, don't you? Chris and Cindy. What a couple you'd make." It was plain to see the twinkle in Wyatt's eye as he realized he'd have something to hold over Chris' head for months to come._

_At that moment two other boys that were almost as big as Wyatt walked up and caught on to what Wyatt was saying. The taller of the two guys decided to put in his two cents. "Are you telling me that a little midget like this really thinks someone like Cindy Kramer could like him?"_

_Wyatt became completely quiet and Chris' eyes began to smolder. This had gone too far. It was one thing for Wyatt to tease him but another when his friends did. "Shut up, Larry. It's none of your business."_

_Larry looked to his other friend Eddie and then glanced at Wyatt. Wyatt didn't look like he was enjoying this anymore but Larry sure was. "Oh, oh, I think little Chris is gonna cry. I think I hurt his feelings. Get a clue kid, the only reason she told you she was gonna be here was so you'd tell Wyatt. She's been trying to get his attention for weeks now."_

"_Larry, cool it," Wyatt said in a low voice. He could see how Chris' knuckles were turning white on the fist he had made. If Larry went too far Chris might actually be tempted to use his power of telekinesis and that would be a very bad thing. He remembered the story his mother had told him of the time the cleaners had tried to erase him for exposing magic. He couldn't let that happen to Chris._

_But Larry wasn't listening. "I even caught a glimpse of her notebook. She's got 'I love Wyatt' scribbled all over the inside of the cover and the name Chris isn't anywhere in sight. Get over it kid. Why would any girl want you when they see you compared to Wyatt here?"_

_Chris' hand unclenched and began to rise but Wyatt interceded first grabbing Larry by the shoulder with his right hand and then shoving his left fist into his stomach. Larry doubled over in pain and then fell to the grass. "Larry, don't talk to Chris like that again. I don't like it," Wyatt said calmly stepping over the guy's prone form grabbing Chris' shoulder and pulling him away from the other two boys. _

_After they were several feet away Chris turned to Wyatt. "Why did you do that? I could have handled him."_

"_Chris, he's at least fifty pounds heavier than you and you aren't good at fighting anyway. So what would you have done?" Wyatt asked._

"_Well I …" Chris began but stopped. _

"_I'll tell you what you would have done. You would have used your powers to wipe the floor with that jerk and then the Cleaners would have come and erased you." Wyatt had sped them up wanting to get as far away from the scene as possible._

"_Thanks Wy," Chris said quietly after a moment of thought. "I wasn't really thinking."_

"_Hey, what are best friends for?" Wyatt had always known how much Chris hated being thought of as Wyatt's little brother. He wanted to be his own person more than anything and there wasn't anyway he was gonna ruin this moment by reminding Chris that he was just his little brother. _

"_Yeah, best friends," Chris nodded. "You and me against the world right, Wy?"_

"_Yeah, you and me," he answered but couldn't help but add something. "And maybe Cindy Kramer."_

_Chris immediately slugged Wyatt in the shoulder and then the image faded away._

Chris sighed in relief as the image faded. Nothing revealed again. He hadn't noticed how much worse his head was aching but with the ending of the image it was as if a knife was drove straight into his temple.

"Oh, you two were so cute. How old were you then? You couldn't have been very much over twelve." Paige asked looking back and seeing Chris glare up at her as he held his head in pain. "Are these images making your head hurt worse?" she asked in concern. He sure didn't look like his walk down memory lane was a pleasant one.

Leo turned at Paige's words and saw the way Chris' eyes were squinting as if the light in the room was hurting them. "Chris, you really should lay down and rest. I don't suggest you sleep but at least let your head relax for a while."

Chris looked then to Leo and an almost snarl formed on his lips. "What's with all the concern, Leo? Just a little while ago you were sending me flying across the room. I don't care who you are trying to impress with this good guy attitude of yours but you aren't gonna use me to try to score points with your ex."

Leo looked to Piper shaking his head and then turned back to Chris. "Chris, I lost my temper. That was it, plain and simple. I don't really want to hurt you."

Oh didn't those words sound familiar? Hadn't he heard them time and again or some other variation of them. Leo had never once laid a hand on him growing up as a child but how many times had he told Chris that he never meant to hurt him? Every time Leo had been absent from Chris' life on important occasions. Every time Chris had been hurt and Wyatt had been forced to heal him because Leo had missed hearing Chris' call. It was an endless litany of apologies for never being there. Oh and for such a long time there Chris had believed him when he said those things, but that didn't last long either. Because no matter how many times his father promised it was gonna be different next time, it never had. Next time was always just like the last. Chris wanted so badly to scream accusations at Leo; to deny what he said but that just wasn't possible. It would seem completely wrong to them all and he'd never be able to explain it away. "Never mind. You don't matter anyway." It was the only thing he could think to say that wouldn't give away his secrets but still held all the contempt he held for the man.

"Chris!" Piper said angrily. "What has gotten into you? Why do you have to keep attacking Leo like this?"

Chris just grit his teeth and stared daggers at the man before him.

"I think I know what it is. I think he blames me for Wyatt turning," Leo said not giving Chris time to answer. "That's it, isn't it? You think me being away from Wyatt 'up there' so often is what led Wyatt to turn. He didn't have me to guide him." After the things Chris had said about Leo never being there for his son and always being at work it made perfect sense. Chris blamed Leo for losing his best friend to evil.

"Man, does it always have to be about you, Leo? Get over yourself," Chris countered a look of disgust on his face.

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_A/N: Ah well, how was that installment? I'm trying my best to slow things down some. I was beginning to worry about moving too fast. Ah, and I had to add some Paige in there too. I absolutely love her sarcastic attitude but I don't often find myself adding it to my writing. See I've never been very good with humor. Maybe that's the problem_. 


	5. I’ll Never Let You Go

**Disclaimer**: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N Warning!:** Alright I need to put a very strong warning on this chapter. Slightly graphic scenes of violence are ahead. If you can't handle it then don't read any further. I tried to actually keep it on the tamer side compared to my usual writing style but some might be squeamish about it. You are warned. My nickname isn't Evil Amplified for nothing.

* * *

**Chapter 5 I'll Never Let You Go**

"Chris, what am I supposed to think? There is no doubt in my mind that you completely hate me. There has to be an explanation for it. And if you aren't gonna tell me why then I have no choice but to guess." Leo was getting so tired of the young man throwing every good deed back in his face.

Chris knew that their conversation was hitting too close to his true reasons for hating his father, which meant that the center tile could at any moment pull one of his memories of his father from the future. That would not be explainable no matter how hard he tried. He'd have to keep talking. Talking around the issue that is. He stood slowly still in too much pain to do this, but he had no choice. If he was gonna get his point across he'd have to look strong while doing so. "Oh I don't know, Leo. Why should I hate you? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you like to push me around so much and show me exactly how much power you as an Elder have over me."

"What do you mean, Chris?" Piper asked not exactly understanding where Chris was coming from.

Chris couldn't help the surprised look on his face. He had thought that it would be obvious to anyone else. "What do I mean? Well let's see. When he first got back from Valhalla he used me as a punching bag and then took me back there and threatened to cut my throat with a sword if I didn't admit to being the one who sent him there. Then there were all of the times that he tried to get me sent back to my time or to have my wings clipped and recycled back to earth. Not to mention getting us stuck in a time portal where I almost got ate by a dinosaur. Following me around. Never trusting me. Watching my every move. Accusation after accusation. Then there's this place and the fact that I feel like hammered shit right now." Chris' voice had risen in strength and anger with every word he spoke and along with it the pain in his head was becoming excruciating. "And what's so damn ironic is the fact that since I was born a half Whitelighter not made one by the Elders I'm not even sure how much authority an Elder even really has over me. Or at least they shouldn't. There is something known as free will, you know."

Leo had to admit that a lot of what Chris said was true and it would have been very hard to live with that kind of treatment but Leo had had reasons for everything he did, hadn't he? "Chris, you know that I had valid reasons for all of those things. When you got here I was the girl's Whitelighter. I protected them. Not to mention the fact that they are my family. If someone you didn't know showed up and basically took your family away from you what would you have done? Would you have stood back and just let it go?"

'_But they are my family too' _Chris wanted to scream in frustration. Instead he settled for something much more cryptic. "Someone did come and take my family, Leo, but at least in your case it was on a much less permanent basis. At least you can still touch them and talk to them and be with them, hell you could probably even get them back if you tried hard enough. They still love you and need you. All I have left are my memories, which I really wanted to keep to myself." His voice was full of raw emotion that he just couldn't manage to hide anymore as his eyes began to swell with tears that he refused to let fall. He had to turn away. The emotions were just too much to bear and he couldn't stand the thought of letting Leo see how hurt he truly was. But as he spun around too fast he suddenly felt as if the entire room was spinning and the darkness surrounding him encroached on his eyesight blacking everything from his vision.

Leo was still processing Chris' words as he spun away and then began to sway. He could see exactly what was happening as Chris' legs buckled and he began to fall. Luckily he had been standing close enough that he was able to grab his upper body before his head was able to hit the tile again. "Whoa, Chris!"

The three sisters all rushed forward also seeing the way their Witchlighter's body slumped lifelessly to the floor as Leo gently laid him down as easily as possible resting his head carefully to the tile floor. "Leo!" Piper's voice was filled with more concern this time. "Is he?"

Leo checked for a pulse and sighed in relief. "He's just passed out. The pain was too much for him."

"We pushed him too much," Paige said dejectedly. She had noticed how the images seemed to hurt him and she knew that they should have just left him in peace but she had been just as curious as the others to know what his secrets were.

"You think?" Phoebe said sarcastically. "He just wanted to be left alone and you all had to grill him more about Wyatt."

"Hey, you were the one trying to get him to share his 'feelings' over Bianca's death. You think that wasn't pressuring?" Paige retorted.

"Stop it… Both of you. We are all to blame for this. He was hurt and we should have known better," Piper insisted realizing just how little they had taken his feelings and condition into consideration. "What can we do for him, Leo?"

"Help me get this jacket off him. I'll try to treat that shoulder wound first. Right now there isn't much I can do about his head." Piper kneeled beside Leo and helped him to remove Chris' jacket then she folded it and placed it gently under his head. Leo also removed his shirt so he could get a better look at the wound.

But as he removed the garment Piper gasped her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh my god, Leo, look at him," She was staring at several crisscrossed scars that covered parts of his torso and arms. Not to mention the fact that he was so thin that each of his ribs could clearly be seen under the skin.

Paige had to look away from the sight and Phoebe found herself lost in tears. "What happ…happened to him?" she stuttered as her words failed her.

Leo stared in disbelief. He obviously was undernourished making him wonder about how many meals the young witch had been skipping recently but the scars looked several years old. There was no doubt in his mind that he had been tortured at one point in his life. It was something that Leo had never suspected but the fact that he had suffered such really wasn't something that would be all that farfetched. Look at the world Chris had grown up in.

"Who could do something like that?" Paige asked bitterly forcing herself to look. No wonder he always wore long sleeves. He was very good at hiding his personal pain so it shouldn't surprise them if he hid this too.

At that moment the center tile again lit up and another memory flashed behind them. They each gasped at the site they saw.

_A fourteen nearly fifteen-year-old Chris stood in a darkened chamber in the Underworld. They could see that he still wore the shirt from the first memory they had seen and there was a new rip in the side from where the athame had sliced him. His face was bruised and new blood was trickling from the corner of his lip. He was standing stock still with his arms wrapped around his upper torso in a protective manner with a defiant look plastered across his face._

_There were six demons in the chamber and they all seemed to be waiting for something or someone. They didn't have to wait for long though._

"_Well it's about time," the blonde youth with dark eyes said stepping into the room. "I have been searching for you for months now, Chris."_

"_Well you found me. Now I think I'll be leaving if you don't mind," Chris answered sarcastically._

"_That humor of yours is gonna get you in big trouble someday, kid," Wyatt said smiling knowingly as he approached him._

_Chris snorted at the comment. "Kid, I haven't been a kid for months now, Wy. Not since you decided to go on this little power trip of yours." _

_Wyatt nodded his head thoughtfully. At least Chris had one thing right. Power was what he sought and he had found it rather easily once he had vanquished the upper level demons that had killed his mother and aunts. "I gave you the chance to join me. We could both be here ruling together. The greatest power this world has ever seen."_

"Leo, look at him. He can't be over sixteen or seventeen at the most. Why is our child in the Underworld commanding demons at that age? Where are we?" Piper was beginning to panic. Seeing the much older Wyatt as evil was something she could actually wrap her mind around. But he was just a child here. He still should be under the influence of his parents at that age.

Leo shook his head bitterly. "I don't know, Piper. Maybe we couldn't control him. Maybe he got too powerful for us to manage." As far as Piper was concerned that was not a good enough excuse.

_"Wy, you know I can't be apart of this," Chris said quietly looking down away from Wyatt's eyes. "At one time, I would have never thought you could either. What happened to you?" It made no sense to Chris. Up until a few months before Wyatt had been the perfect older brother, who looked out for him and loved him unconditionally. But then **it **had happened. The worst day in both their lives._

"_Chris, you know what happened to me. You were there. I realized that the only way to protect what I cherished was through fear. You know that." Wyatt had begun walking in circles around Chris speaking almost as if he was talking to himself and part of Chris wondered if the strain of it all was driving his brother mad. _

"_No, I don't know that, Wyatt. We've always protected each other but never through fear. We did it through our power as good witches. Never ever through fear." Chris new it was a long shot, but Wyatt had never given him enough time to voice his side before and he hoped it would be enough to jar some sense into him._

"_Didn't we? How many demons have decided to just give up once they heard my name? How many times has my fame saved you from pain? Demons fear me, Chris. And witches too. That, Chris, is power." Wyatt had stopped behind Chris and had placed a hand on each of the smaller witches shoulders._

_Chris winced at the pressure but tried desperately not to let Wyatt see. "No, Wy, that's not power. At least not the power you were meant for. How many times have we heard the words 'Your power comes from your emotions'?" _

Phoebe recognized the statement. "Leo that's what you've always told us. Every time we start to feel lost, you say that to us."

"I know, Phoebe," Leo answered but was paying more attention to the vision before his eyes. He could see a glint in his son's eyes that scared him. It wasn't anything he could put his finger on but he dreaded what was to come.

_Wyatt smiled knowing he had backed Chris into the corner he had intended. He swung the younger boy around to face him, revealing several long slashes that decorated the back of his shirt, which had blood encrusting them. In several places it gaped open showing long gashes in the skin that were still seeping fresh blood. "Fear is an emotion too, Chris. And if I have to make you fear me to prove to you where you belong, I will do so."_

Piper's hand flew to her mouth and she was sure she was going to be sick. "Oh god, no. Not you, Wyatt." She could feel the pain in her heart as if it was a physical pain. How could her baby do that to someone he cared about? And why had they let it happen. They should have been able to protect Chris and Wyatt should have never been able to do something like that.

Leo had been kneeling above Chris and his eyes flew to the bare torso before him. He had just been a boy. And his son had done this to him. Oh how had he been so wrong about everything? He had been treating Chris with the utmost in mistrust for months now and had refused to believe his own son capable of any wrong. But he was wrong. So very wrong.

_Chris' face could not be seen anymore but his voice rang out clearly as his head raised so he could look his tormentor in the face. "Wyatt, you are mistaken if you think I'm gonna fear you. If anything I'll pity you."_

_Wyatt snorted in laughter. "Pity! Pity me! Oh, Chris, that one is rich. Why ever would you pity me?" It had to have been the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. He was quickly becoming the most powerful being on the planet and he could have anything he wanted. Why on earth would anyone pity him, he wondered._

"_Because, Wy, I know what you were meant to be. I know the good you were meant to do, which means I also know the joy you were meant to have in your life. How could anyone with such a cold dead heart ever feel joy? Your power and your conquests will always feel empty because you'll have to celebrate them alone. And for that I pity you." Chris backed away pulling his arms from Wyatt's grasp in a sign of what he knew would seem like rejection but he also new it was necessary if he was to shock Wy into realizing what he was doing._

_A look of pure rage slipped onto Wyatt's face as he stared at the only person who had ever defied him to his face. "So be it. I'll never be alone, Chris, because whether you want to be here or not I'm never going to let you go. You'll learn to be loyal to me or you'll watch everyone you ever care for die before your very eyes."_

"Oh, Wyatt, you didn't kill them. Please no!" Phoebe begged hoping her words weren't right.

"What do you mean, Phoebe? Kill who?" Piper asked in confusion.

"Chris' family. He said someone took them from him. Could he have meant Wyatt?" It was a horrible thought to face but it would have made so much sense.

"No! No, he couldn't." Piper said sharply staring back to the image before her. But did she know that for a fact? Could her son possibly have done something so horrible to his best friend? That would be worse than the most horrible form of torture. But if Wyatt was capable of inflicting so much physical pain on his friend then wouldn't he be able to inflict mental torture also?

_Chris shook his head in sadness. "I hope someday you understand, Wyatt."_

"_Understand what?" Wyatt asked the look on his face still lined with malice._

"_Wy, you can do whatever you want to me. And you may even someday break my spirit and get me to join you. But no matter what, I'll never accept what you have become and I'll never give up on changing it. I'll never give up on you, Wyatt. I'll find a way to save you one way or another, even if it kills me." Chris knew that his words would gain him even more pain but he couldn't stop the emotions that came unbidden into his mind. Because he knew that if he was ever to give up on his brother it would be the same as giving up on himself. He wouldn't ever want to live in a world where his brother truly did not care about him or anyone else._

_Wyatt had heard enough for now. Chris would need some serious convincing he decided. He nodded to the demons, which had stood silently to the side and three of them stepped forward. Two of them took each arm and backed him against the wall as the third moved in close smiling in satisfaction. He hadn't been allowed nearly enough time to play earlier. The demon had pale glossy skin and a bald head and as his hand raised into the air the nails on his hand extended into long black claws. _

Piper found herself wishing that Chris would just tell Wyatt what he wanted to hear. She couldn't bear the thought of what was about to happen. No what had already happened to the young man. She needed to keep reminding herself that he had already lived through this and he had survived, even if he hadn't survived unscathed. She turned her eyes from the images in front of her and turned back to where Chris was lying unconscious on the floor. She couldn't say exactly what made her do it but she went to him and kneeled taking his hand into hers and sat staring at his face ignoring everything else around her. "I'm so sorry, Chris," she whispered through the tears sliding down her face. She knew he couldn't hear her but it didn't matter as long as she kept saying the words, she held out hope that somehow he would know.

_Chris tried desperately not to make any sounds as the demon cut slashes into his stomach, chest and arms. But soon it was too much and he began to whimper at the pain being visited on his still very young body. But throughout it all no matter how much pain he felt, no matter how many tears streamed down his face his eyes never left those of his brother's. He wanted Wyatt to see what he was causing and to understand that it didn't matter to him. It didn't change a thing. He would never waiver in his determination._

_During the whole ordeal Wyatt stood back watching his reactions until finally he thought it would be enough for then. He knew that the demon would have gladly continued but for some reason as he watched the steely gaze his brother adopted he began to realize that Chris wasn't gonna break that day. _

_Afterwards he sent the demons away and they left Chris in a crumpled heap on the floor. _

_Wyatt approached him and kneeled beside the tortured body grabbing Chris by the hair and pulled his head up so Wyatt's mouth was next to his ear. "I hope someday after you have withstood this over and over again that you will understand, Chris. I don't want to be saved," he hissed then let go letting his brother's head fall back to the floor._

The image faded with that and left everyone stunned. For several long moments the only sound that could be heard was sniffling and half choked sobs.

Leo had silently retrieved one of the bottles of water that were left on the table and was using it and a strip of his own shirt to clean the shoulder wound as he let feelings of guilt and self-loathing encompass his soul.

Paige and Phoebe had joined them on the floor and they each took turns helping Leo and every once in a while would reach out and smooth the hair from Chris' face each wrapped in their own painful thoughts.

"How will we ever make this up to him?" Piper finally broke the silence looking at each of them in turn but none had the answer to the question. None of them questioned that she was referring to so much more than just being stuck in the tribunal chamber or even the ill treatment they had given him since arriving in their time. How would they make up for the torture their Wyatt would some day visit on him?

* * *

_A/N: Alright then, that one was a really difficult one I know, but I wanted there to be a reason for them to start caring for Chris before they ever know who he really is. It always bothered me that it seemed like the only reason they ever regretted their treatment of him was just because he was family. A large part of me thought that he deserved better than that before they ever knew._


	6. I’ve Ruined Everything

**Disclaimer**: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Chapter 6 I've Ruined Everything**

Time seemed to be ticking away so very slowly as they realized that they had only been there barely over two hours. They all wondered whether Chris would be able to hold on for two more hours but none of them mentioned it. Silence had reigned supreme for almost fifteen minutes as they worked silently to try to clean his wounds and make him as comfortable as possible. After bandaging his shoulder wounds Leo replaced Chris' shirt, knowing he would not appreciate them removing it if he was to suddenly awaken.

During his time caring for Chris, Leo had begun to truly analyze Chris' actions over the past few months and was seeing them and him in an entirely different light. It wasn't hard to see that Chris wore his secrets like a shield blocking away anyone that would get close enough to see his pain. After everything they had seen that day Leo couldn't honestly blame him. The young man didn't seem like the type to ever want or accept pity from anyone and knowing what he knew now, Leo did pity him but he also respected him for his determination and loyalty. Only the most loyal of friends would be able to withstand what they had seen and still want to save the one who had done it to them. And Leo also felt responsible for so much of the pain the young Witchlighter must live with every day. Leo found himself consumed with the notion that they had to somehow stop all of this from ever truly happening. "We have to stop it."

The other three women in the room had all been lost in their own thoughts and each looked up wondering what he was speaking of. "Stop it?" Piper finally asked.

"Whatever happened to our son to cause him to do this." He motioned to Chris and his breath caught for a second before he went on. "No one deserves this kind of pain. And all I can think is that it's all our fault."

He had expected them to deny his words but was surprised to see three heads nod in agreement. "You're right, Leo. Somehow we failed Wyatt and in doing so ruined the lives of so many more," Phoebe agreed. There was no telling how many countless others were in as dire shape as Chris in the future and for the first time since he came back she was truly wondering at the atrocities that must be present in the future.

Paige had been thinking along the same lines. "Chris said that the city wasn't fairing so well outside the Manor, in that whole Bianca episode. It must be pretty horrible, but I'm sure he'd never tell us."

"Protecting us," Piper whispered reaching out and yet again brushing the hair from Chris' forehead. She had never really taken into consideration how young he truly looked. She was so used to the hard, demon-hunting demeanor he always portrayed that now for the first time when he was vulnerable she could see his youth written clearly across his smooth features. He was a beautiful young man. There was no getting around that. He truly had features that most young men his age would kill for; dark rich brown hair, clean clear skin and those brilliant green eyes that almost shone like crystals in the night. But none of that struck her anywhere near as much as the innocence she could see in that face, as he lay unconscious before them with his entire psyche revealed to them. "Why do I feel as if we should have been the ones protecting him all this time?"

"Probably because he never seemed to need protection before now. But now seeing what Wyatt did to him and knowing that he probably had no one in the world to protect him… well he seems to need it." Leo said again checking that his patient was breathing. "And you being the ultimate caring mother can not deny your instincts to do just that."

Leo's words had caused Piper to think again of what had become of their son. "What could have happened Leo? How did we fail him?"

Leo knew that Piper had changed gears and was speaking of their own son. "Well, I've actually been thinking of that. Since Chris came to this time that tells us that whatever turned Wyatt happened sometime soon."

"But the image of Chris and Wyatt as best friends. There was nothing evil about that," Paige interrupted not understanding how in such a short period of time Wyatt could have changed so much.

"Maybe the evil lay dormant for several years and somehow manifested itself after it was triggered in the future," Phoebe suggested using her own abilities of reading people to guess at what could have happened to her nephew.

"But just what could have triggered something like that?" Piper asked dreading what the answer must have been.

_But with a question there must be an answer and as the center tile lit up there stood two teenage boys in the dimly lit nightclub P3. The place was deserted even though it was easy to see that it was nighttime. Wyatt stood with his arms to his sides his fists clenching convulsively. It seemed as if a monster had been turned loose inside his body as his eyes flashed with uncontrolled anger and his whole body trembled with the barely controlled magic that coursed through it. Small items all around the room flew here and there as his telekinetic abilities surged and then abated. He was covered from head to toe with the bloody remains of hundreds of demons._

"_Wy, you have to calm yourself. This isn't helping anyone, especially not you," Chris said slowly moving forward trying to get close to his distraught brother._

"_I killed them. I killed all of them," Wyatt whispered hoarsely. "Every last one I could find."_

_Chris' face contorted in anguish knowing what his brother must have done. "Why didn't you wait for me, Wy? I would have helped you."_

"_I didn't need your help, Chris. It was so easy. I barely even broke a sweat," he answered his voice void of all emotion at that statement._

_Chris shook his head sadly. "Wy, the demons you killed today deserved to die but I'm afraid of what this is doing to you."_

"_And what is it doing to me Chris? The only difference I see right now is that my powers are stronger than they have ever been. It is such a freeing feeling to let it all go and just experience the pure exhilaration of the kill. You must try it sometime." Again his voice was completely void of all emotion and it was seriously frightening Chris just as much as his words were. Chris could see the intense anger in his brother's eyes but it was as if it just did not reach his voice. _

"This must be some months before that last memory. Wyatt doesn't seem quite as evil yet," Phoebe suggested and the others would have to agree.

"But he is heading down the path. You can see it in his eyes," Paige added her own opinion.

"_Wyatt, that's just wrong. It's not who you were raised to be. What you did today had nothing to do with protecting innocents but everything to do with revenge." Chris knew that if he had been with Wyatt he might have been in the same state as his older brother but then again he had always half way feared his own powers and might have been reticent in using them so freely as his brother obviously had._

"_I don't care about innocents right now, Chris. What did they ever do for us?" Wyatt spit angrily voicing more emotion than he had since orbing back to P3. _

_Chris was shocked to hear his brother going against everything they had always been taught. It was as if Wyatt hated innocents more than he did the demons that he had just vanquished. "Wyatt, that's what we do. That's what you do. That's what The Charmed Ones always stood for. What would they think if they heard you saying that?"_

"_I don't know, Chris. What would they say? You tell me. You were the last one to see them alive." Wyatt's voice had taken on a bitter tone and Chris could easily be seen flinching at those words._

All four of the watchers gaped at those words. Paige was the first to react. "We're dead! Well that explains a lot." The look on her face was one filled with shock and sorrow but she still couldn't help the sarcastic quip.

"No, no, that can't be," Piper said the tears coursing down her own cheeks. "I can't leave my baby alone."

"Apparently you did, along with us too," Phoebe stated staring numbly at the image before them. She could see the pain written clearly across Chris' features.

_"Do you blame me, Wyatt?" he asked quietly tears threatening to stream from his eyes._

_There was a long pause, as Wyatt seemed to think about the question. "I think part of me does," he finally answered. "They were trying to save you. If you hadn't been so bullheaded they would have never been in the Underworld that day."_

_Chris just nodded. He didn't blame Wyatt for feeling that way. God knew he had felt the same ever since it happened. "Well, if it helps you to blame me, Wy, then go right ahead. You wouldn't be the only one. It's all my fault, I know. But please don't let this turn you into something you are not. If you are angry take it out on me. But please don't bottle it up and let it hurt you. I can't bear that, Wy."_

"Oh god, Chris blames himself for our deaths!" Phoebe stared down at the unconscious man. "No wonder he took it upon himself to come back here and change everything." It all made sense now. All of the painful looks she had caught. All the drive and determination he seemed to possess. He was desperately trying to make up for a mistake he thought he had made in their future. A mistake that had cost them their lives.

"And knowing him, I'm sure he blames himself for Wyatt turning too," Paige added shaking her head. "We must have tried to save him from demons and somehow got ourselves killed doing it." She wondered exactly how that had actually happened but part of her really didn't want to know.

_"Chris, I could never take it out on you. You ought to know that by now. You're all I have left now. Leo, well he's too wrapped up in himself, you know that. You saw how he was the day of the funeral. And Gramps, well he doesn't understand magic. He just doesn't get it. But you understand me, Chris. You're the only one who can." Wyatt said sighing deeply as he sank to the floor the anger fading from his face and being replaced by sorrow. He knew it wasn't fair to blame Chris. It was just as much his and his father's fault as it was Chris', but Chris had taken the blame all on himself and it was just easier to let it rest at that._

_Chris quickly sat on the floor next to his brother wrapping one arm around his shoulders. "Wy, you're scaring me, you know? You're not acting like I'm used to. After today I can't say if I know you anymore. Please, Wyatt, I just want things to stay the same."_

_Wyatt looked at his younger brother and a sad expression crossed his features. "Things will never be the same again. They can't. All you need to know for now is that I'll never let anyone take away anything I care for again. I don't care what it takes or whom I have to kill, it won't happen again. If I have to become the strongest magical being in this world and rip it apart as I do, I'll never lose anything again." It was said as a vow and the words were frightening to hear._

_Chris pulled away slightly. "Please, Wy, don't do this. Please don't change." His words were full of emotion and his voice sounded raw and frightened._

_Wyatt sighed heavily and stood looking down upon Chris. "It's for the best, Chris. You'll see." And with that he orbed away leaving behind a very frightened crying teen._

"_I've ruined everything," he whispered burying his face in his knees as the sobs finally took him and with that the image faded away again._

Piper had been staring blankly at the image trying to truly understand that she died when her son was just a teen and it had been the event that finally turned him evil. Not to mention the fact that the young man who had come from the future to save her son, had been blaming himself for years for all of it happening. She looked back to him wishing to see his eyes open so she could assure him that it wasn't his fault. He had been an innocent and they had done what they were meant to do. They had tried to save him. It wasn't his fault that they had failed and gotten killed in the process. "It's not your fault, Chris," she whispered taking his hand and wrapping it in her own.

Leo was staring at Piper and tears had filled his eyes. She was destined to die and be taken from him in just a few short years and she was more concerned over the effect it had had on the innocent they were protecting. His heart swelled with the love he still felt for her and it also broke with the knowledge that he would lose her way too soon. And then there were his son's words. He was too wrapped up in himself and probably his own grief and guilt to be there for him. No wonder he turned to the evil inside, with no one to depend on but a younger friend, who he half blamed for the deaths of his loved ones.

And then there was Chris. He could only guess but he wondered if maybe he himself had been one of those people who had blamed him for the Charmed Ones deaths. He hoped not but how could he really know?

* * *

_A/N: I bet you all thought the revelation would be in that one, didn't you? Sorry, I had to get in one more revelation that wasn't the real big one. I know that chapter was shorter but it just seems right to leave it there._


	7. He Has a Name! It’s Chris!

**Disclaimer**: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** I have received reviews begging me for the final revelation. I have received reviews asking me to put it off for a bit. And I have received reviews that were in the middle. So what shall I do? The chapter's already wrote so I'm posting it one way or another, but I promise there are many more chapters to come. So for everyone worried that it will be over soon, stop worrying. I promise there is more to come.

* * *

**Chapter 7 He Has a Name! It's Chris!**

As time ticked by Leo stood and started pacing around the chamber deep in thought. He nervously tossed a bottle of water back and forth from hand to hand as his mind ran through too much information to process. They had learned so much that day. A lot of what they had learned was almost too hard to bear. But Leo knew that if they were gonna change the future they had to accept it and do something about it. But what could he do about Chris?

Chris hadn't wanted them to know any of the things they had learned that day and he certainly would not be happy with the fact that even after he was unconscious the chamber was still showing his memories. And there was so much to make up for. They had all treated him poorly since arriving in their time. Sure he had acted very suspicious but he had never done anything to actually hurt Wyatt or any of them for that matter, at least not until Leo himself had pushed him beyond his breaking point. But how much abuse had he taken up until that moment? Leo found himself sinking into the shame of his actions.

"I don't understand myself anymore," he finally said looking out into the void surrounding them.

The others had been lost in similar thoughts. None of them could be considered innocent in their mistreatment of the young witch. "I'm supposed to be a pacifist. I'm supposed to protect the innocent. I've failed in everything I've ever stood for since he came back from the future." The realization of everything he had done sunk into him like a weight pressing in on his shoulders and there was nothing he knew to do that would bring relief, and honestly he had to admit that he didn't really deserve any.

"You're not the only one, Leo. We are all guilty of the same," Paige sighed in utter hopelessness. "None of us are ever gonna see things the same."

"We shouldn't be able to. What we've been doing is wrong, very wrong." Piper admitted. "And what's worse is the fact that we should have all known better. We spend so much time helping innocents and protecting other witches and magical beings that we don't even know. But when it comes to Chris, we've spent months now mistrusting him and fighting him at every turn. I wouldn't blame him if he hated every one of us."

"He doesn't though, you know. He may be able to block his emotions from my empathic powers but I've still seen the way he is around us. He may get angry when we don't do the things he wants us too, or when we don't take him seriously, but he still respects us. He still follows most of our wishes even if at times they are selfish." Phoebe out of all of them seemed to have a better grasp on what Chris was truly like. Even if she couldn't use her powers on him she was still a very perceptive woman and Chris hadn't been able to fool her into believing that he had no feelings or emotions, no matter how hard he had tried. "But we still have to find a way to make things right with him and the only way I can see to fix what we've done is to dedicate our lives to making sure his mission succeeds. Change his future and he'll never have to suffer through any of what we've seen today or even our poor treatment of him." Phoebe said it with such conviction that both her sisters nodded in utter agreement.

Leo stood still for a moment just shaking his head before he spoke up. "You all know there is one thing that we haven't taken into consideration, don't you?" Leo hated to burst their bubble but none of them seemed to understand time travel well enough to see the flaw in Phoebe's idea.

"If this is more bad news I'm not sure I want you to finish that statement, Leo," Paige said rubbing her temples trying to stave off the headache she was beginning to get.

"I'm afraid so. Even if we can stop Wyatt from turning evil it won't exactly spare this Chris from the pain." He could see that they weren't exactly following him. "If Chris is still in our timeline when the change occurs he'll retain all these painful memories even after he goes back to his own time. We'll be able to save Wyatt, but I don't know how we can make things right with Chris. And you all know that he won't leave until he's positive that he's succeeded."

"So you are saying that no matter what happens, whether we save his future or not, Chris will always have to live with the memories of his crappie life?" Paige was not pleased at all with that fact. Yes it would solve most of their problems as far as Wyatt was concerned and now that they knew what had happened in the past they might even be able to save themselves from eminent death but still wasn't that leaving Chris with the short end of the stick?

"He knows all of that already though, doesn't he?" Piper asked realizing exactly what Leo was getting at.

"And he still came back here," Paige said astonished. She wasn't sure she could face something like that. The knowledge that she could save the entire world but not herself was something she just wasn't sure she was capable of.

"Yes," Leo answered simply knowing that Chris was smart enough to realize all this for himself.

"Leo, you don't think that he feels like he deserves it for what happened to us in his past, do you?" Piper asked concern coloring her features again. She had yet to leave Chris' side and she again reached out smoothing his hair back from his face again. The long locks just didn't seem to want to stay in place no matter how hard she tried.

"That is a very real possibility," Leo answered his shoulders sagging. They all felt very responsible for what had happened in Chris' past but for some reason Leo had the feeling that he was the most to blame for Chris' feelings of guilt. Where was he? Why hadn't he been there to support Wyatt and to assure Chris that it wasn't his fault? "He needed someone to be there to tell him that it wasn't his fault and I really don't think he had that. It's twisted his perception of his own fault in the situation. A child his age wouldn't be able to understand on their own that there was no way they could be responsible."

With those words the center tile lit up again and they all turned in fear of what it would show them next. Of how much more past pain Chris had withstood.

_The teenage boy sat very still on the topmost platform of the Golden Gate Bridge. His legs hung over the edge and as the image zoomed in on his face it showed silent tears streaming down his cheeks. His green eyes shown brightly and his nose and cheeks had turned a bright shade of pink from the numerous times he had wiped the tears away with his shirtsleeve, which was now soaked to his skin but the feeling did not register as his mind remained on the event that had drove him to this point away from all he had left to care for in this life._

_As a tiny hitching noise was heard issuing from his throat unbidden, blue and white orbs appeared behind him on the bridge._

Leo swallowed hard seeing his future self appear on the bridge behind the grieving boy. He could see the pain written clearly across his face and knew exactly when this image had to have taken place. The image before him was only half the being it had been before, as it seemed empty and lifeless to his eyes.

The sisters did not need to ask about what they were seeing. They had never seen Leo look so distraught before in all the years they had known him.

_"Chris, what are you doing up here?" Leo asked his voice cold and devoid of feeling._

_"Just thinking," he whispered in response not turning towards the Whitelighter behind him._

_"Wyatt, will be looking for you soon. You should get back to the Manor. It's almost time for the funeral," Leo suggested in that same unfeeling voice._

_It was easy to see the flinch that coursed through the young man's frame at the word funeral. "I don't want to go."_

_Leo sighed his eyes squinting slightly in frustration. "Chris, please don't be this way. Wyatt will need you there." His voice seemed to hold only exasperation for the young man's feelings._

_Always Wyatt, Chris thought bitterly to himself. But then he pushed the thought away. He loved his brother with all his heart and it wasn't his fault that their father didn't seem to care for his second son. "Wyatt, will be fine without me. He'll have you."_

_Leo just shook his head at the statement wishing he didn't have to have this conversation with his youngest son. "He doesn't want me there, Chris. He's very angry with me."_

_The truth be told, Wyatt was very angry with almost everyone and quite possibly even the entire world but Chris didn't know what to do about that. But he did know how Wyatt's anger at their father always ran its course until he decided to forgive the man. "He'll eventually get over it. He always does."_

_"Chris, quit being so selfish. Don't you think you at least owe…" Leo's words cut off before he finished the sentence. He hadn't meant for his words to sound so accusatory. It wasn't at all what he had intended._

_After hearing the accusation in his father's voice Chris stood quickly and turned towards him with all the pain he felt clearly evident on his face. "What? I owe him. Is that it? Why do I owe him now?" Chris asked bitterly. "Maybe because he's always protected my worthless butt. Or maybe because he deems me worthy of his attention. Oh wait, no I bet I can come up with a better one. Maybe because I got them killed and now the perfect Twice Blessed is at risk from every demon in the known universe. Yeah, I bet that's it. Well I'm sorry if right now I just don't care."_

_"That's not what I meant, Chris. Listen, can't we just start this conversation over?" Leo asked seeming as if he truly did not want to even have it to begin with._

_Chris just nodded not trusting his voice to speak. He really did not want to argue with his father. He never won an argument with him. No matter how much he hated the man for the way he treated him, he still respected him as his father._

_"Wyatt, doesn't want anyone to be there for him but you, right now. He trusts you. Do you realize what something like this can do to a witch that possesses that much power? The Elders think this is a very crucial time for him and they are afraid that we might lose him if he turns on a path of revenge." He sounded as if he was explaining what the weather was gonna be like for the next few days, not about the future morality of his son._

_Chris was completely taken back by his father's cold uncaring request. He couldn't believe that this man had ever been the loving father that he had seen with Wyatt so many times in the past. "Have you thought that maybe I'm just not up for this right now?" Chris finally asked being as truthful as he possibly could. He felt completely wiped out both physically and emotionally._

_"Honestly, it doesn't matter whether you are up for it or not. Wyatt will seek you out one way or the other and you won't be able to put him off like you are attempting with me." With that Leo crossed his arms over his chest and just waited for Chris' reaction._

"What the hell," the present version of Leo said angrily staring at his future counterpart's image. "What are you doing?" he screamed angrily at the image. "He's just a boy." The vein in Leo's temple pulsed and his face had become flushed.

Piper too could not believe what she was seeing. How could the most loving tender man in the world turn into that unfeeling horrible person? Her mouth opened to say something, anything but she couldn't force any sound out.

"Leo, he's grieving. Maybe he just doesn't realize what he's doing," Phoebe suggested hoping that the image was not a constant in Chris' future.

"That is no excuse. Can't he see the pain Chris is in? Doesn't he have a heart at all anymore? Chris is just a boy. How can he expect him to be responsible for Wyatt?" With those words Leo angrily threw the bottle of water he was clenching and it sailed through the image of himself and into the void beyond. "No wonder Chris hates me. Hell, I'd hate me too."

_Chris had stood for several minutes matching stares with his father but he knew he wouldn't win this argument. He was about to give in and just orb back to the Manor when another set of orbs formed not two feet from his side._

_"What's wrong? I could sense your distress in my sleep. You are throwing off pain like a skinned rabbit." Wyatt asked before he noticed his father standing across from his brother._

_Chris continued to stare at his father, not saying a word and Wyatt's gaze followed Chris' line of sight until it rested on Leo. "Never mind. 'Nough said," he bit out sarcastically._

_"Wyatt, I'm just trying to convince Chris to go to the funeral," Leo said not loosening the tight stance he had adopted._

_"And he doesn't want to go?" Wyatt asked not even batting an eye._

_"Not really," Chris answered honestly._

_"Then don't," Wyatt said shrugging._

_Leo's eyes snapped in anger. "Wyatt, this is important. Chris has responsibilities too and I'm tired of him slacking off on them."_

_"Why, what responsibilities does he have?" Wyatt asked in anger. His father was always harping on Chris about responsibilities. He on the other hand was usually coddled and was assured that his main responsibility was to learn to control the power he would someday wield as the Twice Blessed. Even though his responsibility seemed like a huge one he had learned many years before that Chris had many more responsibilities in life and it just did not seem at all fair._

_Leo hadn't expected that question and seemed to stutter as he tried to find something to say. "He… well he should…You know, I'm not going into this. I'm just too tired to deal with him anymore. He has to make everything more difficult for us and he's never satisfied with what we've given him and done for him."_

The sisters and Leo all wondered at that statement. Had they taken him in after he lost his family? Did Leo think he owed them something? Why would he? Even if they were caring for an orphan it wasn't something that they would ever consider requesting payment for, in any form. None of it made sense.

_Wyatt's face darkened in anger. "He has a name, Dad! It's Chris! You know, your second son. You don't have to treat him like a non person."_

_Chris' eyes shut in pain at his brother's defense of him. Wyatt always stood up for him, even to their father and though Chris appreciated it, he often wished he had had the courage to do it for himself._

For a second the entire room seemed to freeze as if Piper had used her time freezing power. But no magic was present in this utter silence. Not even a breath could be heard throughout the room.

And then the room erupted in voices. "My what?" Leo barked at the image all color draining from his face.

"But how can that be?" Piper asked a moment of utter panic taking her.

Phoebe and Paige both looked to the unconscious form on the tile floor and in unison said "He looks just like Piper!"

_But the vision continued oblivious to the chaos it was causing. "I know he's my son, Wyatt. He's just not acting the part very well right now."_

_At those words Chris finally found his tongue. "When did I ever act the part to your satisfaction, Dad? I'd really like to know."_

_"Oh quit being so over dramatic, Chris. This is the worst day for one of your tantrums." Leo's voice sounded in complete disgust._

_That was the last straw for Chris. He had stood back and took it for way too long. "Tantrum. Since when would you even know that I was throwing one? It isn't like I ever see you. You spend half your time out saving other charges and the other half 'up there' teaching Wyatt all of the things he needs to know to be the Twice Blessed. I'm surprised you even know I exist."_

_"Now you are just overexagerating, Chris," Leo said in his own defense huffing angrily._

_"Is he?" Wyatt asked unable to watch his father turn this around on his little brother. "How many times have I had to heal Chris because you were too busy saving your other charges?"_

_"What are you talking about, Wyatt?" Leo asked rounding on his oldest son._

_"Do you know how many darklighter arrows I've pulled from him?" When Leo didn't answer Wyatt answered for him. "Six, Dad. Six in the past three years."_

_"If you had called, I would have come," Leo said becoming more defensive of his actions._

_Wyatt snorted in derision. "He did call you. Every time. But you never came. I was always his second call and it almost killed him a couple of times, waiting to see if you'd respond." Wyatt had never let on to his brother how much he knew about the pain their father caused him but he had always seen it and he wasn't prepared to stand for it anymore._

_"I didn't hear him," Leo finally admitted in a slightly deflated tone._

_"Yeah, just like you didn't hear him when mom was dying," Wyatt snarled._

_Leo's eyes narrowed in anger at both his sons. He could expect this kind of disrespect from Chris, but never from Wyatt. "Well you didn't hear him either," he countered._

_"I was in a meditation trance. One you put me in for that matter. What a stupid exercise. And it cost us everything. You cost us everything!" Wyatt shouted his hand clenching into a fist ready to strike his father if he had to._

_"You broke out of the trance, at least. It proves what kind of control you have over your own powers." Leo had drifted into a new subject thankfully trying to get away from the responsibility he felt concerning the deaths of his wife and her sisters._

_But Wyatt was having nothing of the change of subject. "Yeah, I broke out in time to save Chris, which I'll always be thankful for, but what about mom?"_

_Leo just shook his head at his son and then orbed away unable to withstand anymore of the painful conversation._

The present version of Leo started to step back from the image his face a mask of pain and revulsion. He kept moving backwards until his back was against the table and then he fell landing hard on the tile floor with his hands clutching each side of his head that was shaking in denial. "What have I become?" His voice was choked with raw emotion and tears had started streaming down his face. "Oh god, Chris. I mistreated my own son both now and in the future."

Piper, who was still kneeling next to Chris had a look of pure shock on her face. But when she heard Leo's words a loud sob was ripped from her lips. She immediately wrapped her arms around Chris' still unconscious form pulling him into a tight hug. "We'll make this right. God, Chris, we'll make this right," she repeated over and over again stroking his hair as if she was comforting a crying child.

Phoebe and Paige though in their own world of guilt and pain knew they had to find a way to help the distraught parents. Phoebe went to Leo, knowing his emotional guilt would be overwhelming him, and Paige went to Piper wanting to comfort her sister and keep her from crushing her thankfully unconscious son.

The room became quiet again though as the image continued on and they were drawn to it willing it desperately to not be anything more painful than they already had learned.

_Chris had been standing back letting his brother speak but once his father was gone he couldn't hold back the pain that wracked his body. He bent over double his chest constricting as if the emotional pain he was feeling was ripping at his very heart, threatening to tear him apart. He sobbed unable to hold in the wretched sound._

_Wyatt immediately grabbed his little brother pulling him up and wrapping him in a strong embrace. "It's okay, Chris. It's okay. I got ya."_

_Chris' body was wracked with sobs and it was several minutes before he was able to form any coherent words. "I can't do that anymore, Wy," he finally whispered._

_"I promise, Chris, I won't let him anywhere near you again. I'll kill him if he even tries." Chris knew Wyatt wouldn't truly attempt to kill their father but the sentiment helped him to better control his emotions anyway._

_He pulled out of his brother's arms and turned looking out over the city. "I wish you hadn't saved me, Wyatt."_

_Wyatt gasped at his brother's admission. "Chris, no. What would mom say if she heard you say that?"_

_"She'd be angry," Chris admitted. "But she'd understand why I felt it."_

_"Chris, I don't care what your reason is. All I know is that I don't want to lose you too," Wyatt demanded angrily. "And **he** is not a good enough reason to want to die anyway."_

_"It's not really him, Wy. It's all the mistakes I've made and all the trouble I've been. No I've always known where I stood with him. I'm just the mistake that wasn't ever supposed to happen. I've always been that." Chris had heard it all so often from his father and even though it had hurt he had tried to push it away as hard as possible._

_"You are not a mistake, Chris. Sure they never planned on having you and your timing was a little off, but still…" Wyatt always hated this conversation whether it was with Chris or his parents._

_"Off, yeah my whole arrival into this world excluded Dad from becoming an Elder and he has never let me forget the good he could have done if that had happened. Forgive me for being born." It hadn't been an easy life living with a father that resented your entire existence but still his brother and the Charmed Ones had always made up for that. Especially his mom. "At least Mom always wanted me."_

_"Don't forget the Aunts, either. I may have had the blonde curls and sweet smile but your charm and charisma had them wrapped around your finger from day one." Chris understood what Wyatt was doing. No matter how much it hurt to talk about their lost loved ones reminding him that they loved him dearly was exactly what Chris needed to dispel the pain of his father's rejection for a while at least._

_"Yeah..." Chris said nodding thoughtfully brushing away the tears. But today his mind could not release the painful thoughts of his father. "Did he ever like me at all, Wyatt?"_

_Wyatt sighed his shoulders slumping in defeat knowing he wouldn't get Chris off the subject this time. Then he gave in and told Chris something that he had wanted to often before but had wondered if he would even believe it. "I don't think I've seen Dad ever happier than when you were a baby, Chris. He was like a normal dad back then. Always acting all gaga and making faces and stuff. But then the Elder's started in on him. It was almost as if they and mom were at war over him. They had wanted him to become one of them and mom of course didn't."_

_Chris had never heard any of his family mention this and was very surprised to know that he had once had a father that truly cared for him. "What happened?"_

_"Well they eventually compromised. Dad stayed with us, but whenever his Whitelighter duties called he had no choice. He couldn't balk at them at all and he could never defy them for us. I guess he used to do that quite regularly before we were born. I don't know if he really wanted to be away all the time while you were growing up but if he had went against the Elders they would have recycled him to earth and we would have lost him forever." None of them had ever told Chris any of this because they always thought he was too young to understand the ways of the Elders but since Wyatt had spent time with the Elders and heard them discussing it with Leo time and again he was very familiar with the situation. "And as you've seen for yourself the compromise didn't exactly work out well for any of us. Mom and Dad always fighting. Me being shifted off to the Elders half the time, like that's really where I wanted to be. And well you got the worst end of the deal, I guess. I think they blew it when they made that compromise."_

_Chris was lost in thought for a few moments before he came to a conclusion in his own mind. "It's too bad we couldn't change the past, you know."_

_Wyatt looked startled by the suggestion. "What would you change?"_

_"I would have made dad an Elder. I know he wouldn't be around as much but maybe if he were happier with what he was doing and they weren't on his back all the time, just maybe when he was able to sneak down and see us things wouldn't have been so bad." To his young mind it had seemed so logical but Wyatt wasn't so sure it would have been any better._

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_A/N: Okay since that chapter was super long I'm gonna break it off there and put their reactions in the next chapter. So how did I do with the big revelation? Anyone think it works? And again. **Even though they know who Chris is now, the story is far from over. Very far from over.** So continue reading if you are enjoying it. I have an interesting twist to throw in and then there will be lots of_ _consequences to come._


	8. Good Memories

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N**: Okay warning here for those amongst my readers who are sadists (you know who you are), part of this chapter is gonna be all warm and fuzzy, so don't beat me with a stick, all right. I warned you ahead of time.

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**Chapter 8 Good Memories**

"Piper, Piper! Hon, you have to let him go," Paige said softly rubbing her sister's back. "For starters, you are crushing him and that can't be good for his injuries, and if he wakes up and finds you freaking out over him it's gonna scare him to death."

Piper was only half listening to her sister as she clung to her grown son, for the first time realizing just how much pain he had been living through and how much she really wanted to just wipe it all away. And she knew, very painfully so, that a lot of the pain she had caused herself. "I can't let him go, Paige. I just found him," she whispered her voice hoarse with emotion.

"Piper, come on. Just lay him back down. You don't have to leave him. Just let him rest," Paige encouraged. Once Piper had finally began to loosen her grip Paige helped her to lay him back gently. Piper removed the sweater she was wearing over her t-shirt thinking it might be more comfortable to use as a pillow than the thin jacket they had been using and slipped it under his head. "That's better," Paige sighed in relief.

"Paige, look at him. Why didn't I see it? Why couldn't I see him as my son? I should have known," Piper said as she wiped the tears from her face yet again. "All the signs were there. Things he said. The way he acted on certain occasions."

"Piper, none of us saw it. Just like none of us saw all the good he was doing. None of us saw how much he did to protect us. He didn't want us to know," she answered shaking her head looking away from her sister. "He didn't trust us enough to know, I guess."

"But why wouldn't he trust us? We were his family. We could have done so much more to help him." It felt to Piper as if a knife were thrust into her heart knowing that Chris hadn't felt comfortable with them helping him. She had seen how Leo had treated him in the future. How had the rest of them treated him she wondered? Did he resent them just as much? Did he resent her?

Phoebe had been on the other side of the room with her arm wrapped around a completely sobbing Leo. He hadn't yet been able to say a word to her. But when she heard her sister's words she had to interrupt. "You two have to realize something about Chris. He's been on his own for so many years now. He's had to depend on himself to solve all his problems and to keep himself alive. That's not something he can just ignore because we were here and could help him. And there is still the fact that he wanted to protect us from the pain of his future." Even without her Empath powers she was sure that Piper was blaming herself for everything and thinking up all kinds of unknown horrors she could have been responsible for.

Piper nodded at her words. Yes, the Chris she had been learning about that day would have seen things exactly that way. He would have never shifted what he saw as his own problem to fix onto them. And he would have never wanted them to feel the pain he felt everyday of his life. But how wrong was that? Weren't they supposed to be the ones protecting him from pain?

Phoebe turned back to Leo knowing that the man was beyond devastated. "Leo, please. We need you to deal with this. You're gonna self-destruct the way you are now. Leo, your son is gonna need you very soon." She attempted the one thing she knew could reach him at that point.

The Elder was completely wracked with sobs and it didn't seem as if he could ever stop himself. But at Phoebe's words he attempted to pull his emotions under control. After several long minutes of breathing deeply he managed to stop the sobs for the most part but the tears were still streaming down his face. "I can't ever face him, Phoebe. Not after everything I've done to him."

"Leo, you have to. If you don't it's gonna seem just like another rejection to him," Phoebe knew her words were painful but she also knew that they would need him for the painful days that were sure to come. She wasn't a fool. She knew there was no way, that even though they knew the truth, that Chris would just forgive all and they'd be one big happy family. That was asking for way too much.

Leo's face snapped up to hers and she saw the fear in his eyes. Fear of hurting his son again. Fear of disappointing him again. She was sure that since Leo now knew the mistakes he made in the future that he would never repeat them. But she also knew that it might take him a little longer to realize that and accept the fact that he had to move ahead and do what was needed to help his son. "Leo, listen. I know you are very distraught and might not have caught everything in that vision but Chris still loves you. I know he does."

"What do you mean? How could he love me after what my future self did to him? After the things I've done to him since he came here." Leo shook his head adamantly at her suggestion. He had messed things up both in this time and in the future and he didn't see how he'd ever fix it. But still no matter how much he thought it was impossible to fix, deep in his heart he prayed for whatever miracle it would take to have his son love him. "Phoebe, that thing, that wasn't me. I don't understand how I could ever do that to someone I loved. I can't become that. I can't let him hate me."

She knew he wasn't putting it all together, but with a little push in the right direction…"Leo, the last thing he said was that he wished you had become an Elder, so you would be happier and treat them better when you were around. What was one of the first things Chris did in our timeline?" Phoebe paused hoping Leo would put two and two together himself without having to explain it to him.

Leo thought for a moment and then it dawned on him. "He made me an Elder," he whispered closing his eyes as the pain of knowing that no matter how horrible he had been to Chris, he had still done the one thing he thought would make his father happy.

"Whether he did it consciously or not, he did something to try to fix what happened between you two. That means that he still cares and still wants you to love him." Phoebe knew it was hard to believe after everything they had seen, but knowing the things they had learned about Chris, it seemed just like something he would do.

"But making Leo an Elder broke us up. How could that fix things?" Piper then realized something else that those words entailed. "He might not even be born because if it."

Leo blanched at the thought. Even though he had just discovered that Chris was his son, he still felt an extreme urge to protect him. "Yes, he will," he vowed staring at Piper daring her to deny the possibility. He wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his son being born.

"Leo, yes, I know he will. But if we hadn't found out about him today, he might not have," she explained. She too was willing to do anything to make sure her baby boy would join them whenever he was supposed to but Chris' actions still confused her.

Phoebe nodded understanding what her sister was getting at. "He had no way of knowing that making Leo an Elder would break you two up. Maybe he just didn't realize what the implications really were until it was too late."

"Yeah, and didn't he say something to you, Leo, about if you wanted your family back you could easily get it? Maybe in a way he was trying to push you two back together and his anger just got in the way." Paige added remembering part of the argument they had had earlier.

Leo had to admit that it made sense. But none of that absolved him of his past and future crimes. Those could only be forgiven by one person and he figured it was about time he started trying to earn that forgiveness, so he stood and moved over to where his son and wife were. He kneeled down next to Chris again and looked closely at his son for the first time. "I know you can't hear me, Chris, but I promise you I'll do whatever it takes to make things right for us." With those words he reached out and stroked his son's cheek softly for the first time seeing exactly how much he resembled Piper. How had he missed seeing a part of the woman he loved in the young man before him? For so many years now she had occupied most of his thoughts and her face was emblazoned in his mind. Every feature memorized. Every expression imprinted there for him to remember always. How had he missed all of those same things in his son? Along with so many more clues he had missed. Chris' stubborn streak, which was a Halliwell trait if he'd ever seen one. His neurotic tendency to overprotect those he cared for, even at the risk of his own life. How many times had he seen the same type of actions from the sisters?

Then there were Chris' eyes. The one trait he had gained from his father. They were not the same color but still, they held a depth of expression that no words were able to convey. It was something Leo knew he also shared. He never had to tell Piper what he was feeling. She could see it in his eyes. Chris' eyes were the same. Though most of the time he and the sisters had ignored what they saw or Chris had done his best to hide it, it was still there the few times that Leo had locked eyes with the young Witchlighter. If only he had thought to question those soulful eyes in the past.

Then again his mind turned to replaying all the painful memories from his son's past and all of the horrible things they had done to him in recent months, feeling the pain as if it was his own. "Was there anything good at all in your life, Chris?" he whispered his chin sinking down to his chest in an almost defeated gesture.

_To their surprise the center tile lit up again and an image appeared before their eyes of a very young Chris sitting on the floor of the sunroom in the manor. The young boy, who couldn't have been more than three years old, was crying desperately holding one hand in the other._

_"Chris, baby, what's wrong?" Piper called in fright rushing into the room. She hadn't been out of the room for more than a few seconds as she answered the phone but her son's sobs had brought her running immediately._

_When she reached him she scooped him up into her arms reaching for his hand that she saw was bleeding. She looked down and saw one of their vases had been pulled from a table and was broken on the floor. "Oh, Chris, what have we said about tking glass objects?" She whispered kissing his forehead and walking him into the kitchen to check the cut._

_"Mommy, hurts," he choked out through the tears._

_"I know, baby. I know. I promise it will be all better soon," she said running the cut under some cool water to see how bad it was._

_At that moment blue and white orbs shone throughout the room and Leo appeared holding a five-year-old Wyatt in his arms. "What happened? I heard Chris crying," Leo asked immediately concerned for his youngest as he placed Wyatt on the counter next to where Piper was cleaning Chris' hand._

_"It's just a small cut," Piper answered as she pulled the young boy's hand from under the water._

_"Oh, buddy, let me see," Leo said taking his youngest son in his arms and then taking the hand in his own. At that moment both father and son's hands lit up in a healing glow and Chris stopped crying as the pain slipped away._

_"Daddy," he cried wrapping his arms around his father's neck a bright smile spreading across his face._

_"Is that better, buddy?" Leo asked returning his youngest son's hug a goofy grin plastered on his face._

_"All better," Chris answered very happy that his daddy had taken his pain away but even more happy that he was there with him. Something he didn't often have._

Leo had watched the interplay between he and his son and couldn't help the feeling of joy that overcame him at seeing his son so happy in his arms. But part of him wondered whether Chris could even recall such an early memory or whether the chamber was pulling a memory even too old for Chris to remember.

_Then the image flickered to a different time when Chris was a few years older. He was standing in the Manor's kitchen at his mother's side as she was baking his favorite cookies. "I want to do the flour, Mom," he called out looking up to the woman beaming in complete innocent adoration._

_"Okay, Peanut. Here it is," she said handing him the sack of flour which she thought was a little bit big for him to handle but still he wanted to help and she wouldn't try to stop him. She waited expectantly for him to poor the flour into the measuring cup but instead he looked up to her in that wonderfully devious way he had and then used both hands to crush the sack sending a cloud of flour dust into his mother's face._

_With that he giggled in laughter and then dropped the sack turning to run from his mother's wrath. "Christopher Perry Halliwell," she called more in surprise than anger and took off after her son scooping up the bag as she went._

_After several turns around the kitchen table with both of them laughing all the time Piper stopped on one side and Chris on the other. "Now, Mom, remember, you wanted to teach me to cook."_

_"Oh yes, yes I did. And you young man are going to be lucky if I don't cook you right along side the cookies," she warned with a large wicked smile on her lips._

_"Mom, sorry to burst your bubble, you may be a witch but you do not live in a gingerbread house," he came back and then dashed under the table hoping to surprise her but Piper was smarter than that and raced to the left catching him just as he came out and then proceeded to dump the entire bag of flour over his head grabbing him around the waist and rubbing the flour in for good measure._

_"Mommmmm!!!!" he called only half trying to free himself. When she was done he beamed up at her._

_"Well, Peanut, you look good enough to eat now," she whispered leaning down and placing a kiss on his forehead leaving an imprint in the flour dust as her smile brightened at the love she felt for her youngest prankster. Nothing he did could ever truly anger her. He was just too lovable for her to ever be mad with for long._

_"Oh, Mom, I'm too old to be a Peanut," he said in annoyance but only half heartedly as he snuggled into her arms enjoying their time alone._

_"Chris, you will always be my little Peanut, whether you are seven or thirty-seven," she whispered hugging him tight._

_Chris didn't respond to that but as he pulled away from her and picked up the empty flour bag he turned to her smiling brightly with the complete adoration of a child shining in his eyes. "Can we cook together more often, Mom?"_

Piper's hand shot to her face covering her mouth as tears of joy streamed down her face. She had never seen so much love from one being in her entire life and that love was being directed at her or at least her older self. She couldn't wait for the day that she saw that look from her youngest son.

_Then a third image projected showing all three Charmed Ones and both Chris and Wyatt sitting together in a park. Chris looked to be about ten years old and he and Wyatt were playing frisbee together. It looked as if the family had just enjoyed a picnic and for once there were no demons and no one evil trying to destroy them and they were all happily enjoying the day._

_Chris threw the frisbee to his brother and waited for the return throw, but Wyatt overthrew and when Chris tried to jump to catch it he landed right on top of his two aunts._

_"Whoa there, fly boy," Paige called out catching her nephew. "That's just a little too high for you to catch." Paige looked around shifting Chris onto Phoebe's lap and then tele-orbed the frisbee to her hands._

_Chris smiled at his aunt as she handed the object back to him. "Thanks, Aunty Paige," he said standing and pecking her on the cheek, and then started to walk away again._

_"Hey, what about me, little buddy?" Phoebe asked and watched as he came back and pecked her on the cheek too. "That's much better."_

_Chris just shook his head and rolled his eyes at his aunts as he took back off to continue playing with his older brother. "Catch, Wy," he yelled sailing the toy over his brother's head, grinning madly when Wyatt landed in a shallow duck pond trying to catch it._

The image faded to nothing as all present were left with a feeling of warmth at seeing a few of the good memories that Chris had kept all these years. At least he had had that.

* * *

_A/N: And I bet you thought the memories would stop now that the revelation was over and done with. Oh no! Not quite. I decided that a nice warm and fuzzy ending to this chapter would help get everyone into the mood for the hardships to come. Besides we all know that Chris had to have had some good memories in his past, otherwise he would have never grown into the loving young man he is. So you got three memories for the price of one. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Next chapter, some heavy decisions are made._


	9. What Are You Gonna Tell Them?

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Okay, small warning. I stole another scene from Chris-Crossed for this chapter but I completely rewrote it the way I would have wanted it to go so yeah it's original.

* * *

**Chapter 9 What Are You Gonna Tell Them?**

"I did love him," Leo whispered after the image faded. "I wonder if he ever really knew." Then he looked down to his grown son and prayed that he would someday be able to tell him.

"I'm sure he knew, Leo. Somehow, he had to have," Phoebe answered smiling encouragingly "And his life was good at times, even with you."

"Did you see the way he was? I've never seen a child so full of both mischief and love," Piper commented still happily remembering the look on her young son's face. It wasn't hard at all to see how Chris had grown into the man he had become. Though it was sad to see that out of the two traits it was much easier to see the first while looking at his grown up self. She tried to think to a time since Chris arrived in their timeline that she had seen love in his eyes instead of pain, anger or annoyance. If it had been there she had never noticed it. She hoped that it was just that she had never noticed it instead if it just not being there at all.

"He sure seemed awful smart for a kid so young. No wonder he's so cunning and devious now," Paige said smirking.

Piper gave her sister a dirty look. She wasn't ready to hear disparaging remarks about her little Peanut yet. And devious was not a word she really wanted to incorporate with her son. Either version of her son.

"Well he is. It's not necessarily a bad thing, you know," Paige said defensively. "It's kept him and us alive on a few occasions and saved his brother from the Order."

They all shared a nod at that. Maybe some of the things they had all considered to be bad things about the Witchlighter were actually a blessing in disguise. "He has done a lot of things that are pretty quick witted since coming back here," Leo pointed out. "Look at the way he kept that Blob Demon at bay until you three could get back from the Summer of Love. He's the one that noticed its aversion to electricity."

"And he realized that those three blonde bimbos were not us that one time, just by the way Piper acted," Phoebe mentioned. "I don't know how many others would have seen through the spell they cast."

"Not to mention the fact that he spends endless hours in the underworld getting information from god knows what demons. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't have the guts to do that, let alone the smarts to keep me alive on their turf," Paige added what she thought was beyond cool about her nephew.

Unfortunately the others weren't quite so pleased with her comment. "My god, he has a death wish," Piper immediately said her eyes going wide. Why was she just now realizing this? "I am never allowing him to do that again. Never." Piper's voice had raised an octave with the realization that her baby took way too many risks with his life.

"Piper, he's an adult," Paige reminded her.

"You heard the memory. He's my little Peanut no matter how old he is and I'm not gonna let him get himself killed." Piper's voice was bordering on hysterics with that as she imagined all the horrible things that might harm her son while she wasn't watching.

"Yeah, that's another thing you might want to reconsider doing there, hon," Phoebe warned. "Calling a grown man Peanut might not win you any cool mom awards, right now."

Leo had been listening to his wife rant on about how she was gonna treat her son once he woke but he knew that they were getting way ahead of themselves and it would be best to slow down. "Piper, we need to talk about something important, before he wakes up."

She immediately clammed up and didn't remark on what Phoebe had said. "What, Leo?" She had heard the serious tone he took and could see the worry in his eyes.

"How are we gonna handle telling him that we know who he is?" Leo knew if they pushed him too hard he'd bolt faster than they could say anything to allay his fears. Piper said nothing thinking of exactly how that conversation should go and honestly couldn't see it ending with anything but Chris orbing away never to be heard from again.

"Eww, yeah didn't think of that one," Paige said a scowl on her face. "Touchy subject that one might be. Let's see. Okay I got it. Chris, you know all those little secrets you've been desperately trying to hide from us, don't think a thing about it, hon. We saw it all while you were napping and it's cool with us."

Groans came from the other three as they discarded the suggestion completely. "We need to be very sensitive towards his feelings. He can't even slightly think that we see this as a bad thing," Phoebe warned knowing that that was probably Chris' biggest fear when it came to revealing who he was.

"Of course it's not a bad thing," Piper said never even considering it to be otherwise.

"We know that, Piper, but he doesn't. He's been through a lot in his life and the possibility of rejection is probably one thing in the forefront of his mind at all times." Phoebe glanced at Leo, who winced at those words. It wasn't hard to tell why Chris would feel that way at all and Phoebe wasn't trying to remind Leo of the fact either.

"I wonder if he would have ever told us?" Leo asked solemnly. Had Chris planned on telling them or would he have just eventually went back to his changed future leaving them in the dark?

_With those words the center tile illuminated showing a very similar grown image of their son and Bianca sneaking into the attic at the Halliwell Manor/Museum._

"_What are you gonna tell them?" Bianca asked walking around the room checking that everything looked on the up and up._

"_You mean my family, right?" Chris asked swallowing hard on the word 'family.'_

_Bianca smiled sympathetically knowing how difficult this would be for him. She was the only one who he ever confided his feelings to after the cancer had taken his grandfather two years before. Before that Grandpa Victor had been the only one he could talk to but now Bianca was all he had left and she knew how hard the thought of seeing them again was on him._

_Chris had stopped moving and stood with his arms folded across his chest his face looking down slightly with his eyes closed. "I'm not gonna tell them anything."_

_Bianca's eyebrows rose skeptically. She hadn't expected that. "Won't it be hard to get them to help you if they don't know who you are?"_

_He opened his eyes again looking towards her. "Not if I can get myself assigned as their Whitelighter."_

"_And how do you plan on doing that? Don't they already have a Whitelighter?" she asked not even bothering to mention his dad. That was one name she never spoke unless he brought it up first._

_Chris swallowed hard again. "Dad always did want to be an Elder," he said simply his eyes shining a little more brightly from the moisture collecting there._

_Bianca nodded understanding his intentions. "But won't they be suspicious of you? From the stories you've told, it seems they don't trust easily."_

_Chris turned away from Bianca and made his way to the podium that projected a false Book of Shadows for the public to see. "I can handle their suspicions, Bi. I just don't think I can handle their smothering love."_

"_Chris, this would be a good opportunity for you to come to terms with what happened. They could help you…" She had been so worried about him for a long time now. His guilt and depression at times was almost overwhelming. _

"_No, Bi. I can't think of them as family. They can't be my mom and my aunts. I have to think of them as Piper, Phoebe, and Paige, the Charmed Ones. If I allow myself to think of them as anything else I'll end up going down a road that frightens me. I don't have time to have a breakdown. I have to save Wyatt and then get back here where I can spend the rest of my life dealing with everything else." His voice was raw with emotion and his overly long hair covered his eyes so she couldn't see the pain there._

"_Oh, Chris, I'm afraid for you," she whispered moving over next to him and laying her forehead against his shoulder placing a small kiss on his arm._

"_I'm afraid too, Bi. I know it's not gonna be fair to them to keep it all to myself. But if they ever find out…If they find out, I don't think I could stand to be anywhere near them. I can't handle their love, not after I lost it so many years ago. The aunts would be fawning over me all the time and I'd never get anything accomplished and Mom…" With that he paused his voice becoming almost choked but he pushed on with what he had to say. " I can't let myself love her. There is no guarantee that even if I change things, even if I keep Wyatt from becoming evil, that she'll survive past my fourteenth birthday. I can't let myself love her and then come back here where she's not. That would destroy me, Bi." Chris turned to the woman he loved and the tears had started to stream down his cheeks. "They can't ever know."_

_She reached up and kissed his tears away from each cheek and then drew him into a tight embrace knowing his tears were far from over. "You do whatever you have to, baby. I'll be waiting here for you and we'll handle it together once you get back."_

With that the image faded away and silence again blanketed the room until Piper couldn't take it anymore. "He doesn't want to love me," she whispered tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't believe how happy she had been just before that memory played out and now all she could feel was utter despair at losing her son's love. No wonder she never saw love in his eyes. He wouldn't allow himself to love any of them.

Phoebe who had not even guessed how bad the memory would be this time shook her head wishing that she could just get one empathic feeling from her nephew's image. If only she could read him and see if that was truly how he felt. But she couldn't and she had to somehow comfort her sister after being completely devastated. She kneeled beside where Piper was still sitting next to Chris. She had yet to leave his side. "Piper, I know how much it has to hurt to hear him say that, but you need to understand where he is coming from. He knows how tenuous his own sanity is after everything he's been put through in his life. He can't risk anything getting in the way of his mission. It's more important to him to save Wyatt than anything else in the world. And he's afraid of losing it and becoming a nervous wreck if he has to deal with his emotions about you and us dying. He does love you. He just can't get close to you for fear of everything overwhelming him. I can't say as I blame him for that either."

"But what am I supposed to do now, Phoebe? Pretend that I don't love my son. Pretend that he means nothing to me." Piper couldn't ever imagine doing something so heinous to Chris. It just wouldn't be right.

"No, no. That would make it worse. If he thought that his mother didn't love him, it'd destroy him faster than anything else possible." Phoebe feared what their only choice now seemed to be.

"So what, we force him to deal with his feelings. Sort of like an intervention," Paige suggested.

"No," Leo whispered sighing deeply. He knew what they had to do and it was gonna tear them all to pieces to do it. "We can't tell him that we know, can we?"

"What?" Piper snapped her eyes going wide. "What do you mean, not tell him?"

Leo reached out taking her hand holding it right above Chris' chest as he looked down to his son. "Piper, we can't risk hurting him again. You heard him. He's not ready to deal with that kind of pain and I think that whenever he is, he'll tell us."

Piper was shaking her head in denial at her husband's words. "How do you expect me to be able to do this, Leo? How can I go about my days acting as if I don't have another son?"

Phoebe had started crying again as she heard the anguish in her sister's voice. "I don't know how any of us are gonna be able to mange it, Piper. But Leo is right. For Chris' sake, we have to." She pointed out. "And we don't have to act like we don't care about him at all. We can have a change of heart concerning our 'bitchy Whitelighter.' Nothing says that we have to act like we hate him."

"You don't think he'll get suspicious if we all have a sudden change of heart?" Paige asked not sure they'd be able to pull this off.

"Well I think we just need to play it down as not that big a deal, if he starts asking about it. We just can't act suspicious," Phoebe explained.

Paige snorted looking away from Phoebe. That was rich coming from her second oldest sister. "Oh and you, Miss I Can't Keep a Secret for Nothing, are gonna be able to do that?"

Phoebe gave her younger sister a dirty look as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. But she had to admit Paige was right. She out of all of them had the hardest time keeping secrets. How long had she managed to keep Leo's Whitelighter secret. Oh maybe ten minutes. But then it occurred to her. "You can cast a spell on me."

"What?" Piper asked staring at her sister in disbelief. Most often when they cast spells on each other things went very wrong and none of them were too eager to volunteer when it had to be done.

"You can cast a spell that won't allow me to spill the secret until Chris tells us himself." Phoebe stated nodding to herself. She knew it would be the best way.

"And you are actually willing to let us do that?" Paige asked wondering if her sister was coming down with something.

Phoebe only half smiled looking down at her unconscious nephew. "For Chris, yes I am," she whispered.

Piper was very touched by her sister's willingness to go through something like that for Chris. It showed her just how much her sister cared for him and that was something that she really wanted to see. She wanted them all to care for him just as much as she did, to be able to show him how much they cared. But now she knew they couldn't; she couldn't. Not just yet at least. "Can you write a spell that will keep my heart from breaking?" she asked her voice becoming unsteady. "Because I don't know if I can just pretend that he's nothing to me."

Leo understood exactly what she was saying. There were so many things that he wanted to make up for and he wasn't sure he would be able to do that if he had to pretend to be nothing more than an acquaintance to his son. But somehow he'd manage it. He knew he had to. "Piper, I know it will be hard, but I promise you, we'll all be there to help you with it."

"How are you gonna be there, Leo, when you are supposed to be up there?" she asked motioning upwards, not sure how he expected to do both.

"I've defied them before, haven't I? And besides, things aren't completely back in line up there since the Titan attack. I think I can get away with being gone more often if I try hard enough." Leo smiled remembering the words Chris had said. 'He could get them back if he tried hard enough'. He was willing to give up everything for that chance.

* * *

_A/N: Okay one of my reviewers managed to guess this was the way I was gonna go. So congrats to Briankrause for guessing it way back in chapter 5. What's weird is that I had just decided to do it the night before that review was submitted. That's why I accused you of reading my mind. Alright, so do we like the decision or do we hate it?_


	10. Waking Up

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Well normally I try to update both of my stories at the same time but I'm getting the flu and this was the only chapter I finished last night, so I might be slowing down for a couple of days. But I didn't want to disappoint anyone waiting for an update, so I went ahead and got this one up. For everyone waiting for a chapter on Second Existence, I promise to get it done as soon as possible. All right on to the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 10 Waking Up**

"It won't be long now," Leo said looking at his watch and as if time had heard him a loud chime sounded throughout the room and it was as if a gust of wind swept through them. Leo reached down covering Chris' shoulder and the golden glow of healing poured through his hands. He smiled as he felt his son's wound heal beneath his fingers.

He was about to attempt the same treatment on Chris' head when Piper placed one hand over his. "We should take him back to the Manor before you finish. I don't think he's gonna like waking up in this place."

Leo nodded understanding her words. Chris had been terrified when they first arrived. The thought of waking him up there was not one he thought Chris would appreciate. With that he laid his hand on Chris' chest leaving Piper's where it rested above it and they orbed back to the Manor with Chris landing softly on the couch and Piper kneeling next to his head with Leo right next to her. Paige and Phoebe followed close behind.

"We are gonna run upstairs and work on that spell for Phoebe," Paige said as soon as they appeared, wanting to give them time alone with Chris for the few moments they had before he woke. With that she pushed Phoebe up the stairs in front of her.

Piper suddenly had the urge to put the inevitable off. She had felt so close to her son while she watched some of his better memories and she was reluctant to have to let that go. It was probably why she hadn't yet took her hand from Leo's where they rested on Chris' chest.

"We have to do this, Piper," Leo whispered.

"I know, Leo. I'm just memorizing his face like it is now. He looks so at ease and peaceful right now," she answered. But she knew stalling was not good for her son. He still needed to be healed. But she had the urge to do one more thing anyway. She leaned down and softly placed a kiss on his forehead and then stood to leave the room. She couldn't be there when he woke. It would just be too hard.

Leo watched Piper go, knowing she wouldn't be too far away and then turned back to the task at hand. He took a calming breath affixing a passive look to his face as he placed both hands above Chris' head and let his healing touch flow through to his son, healing the wound, not even leaving a scar behind.

Afterwards Chris slowly started to come around and just before he was fully aware he said something that startled Leo. "Dad?" he asked hesitantly his voice full of trepidation. It made Leo's heart constrict to hear that word spoken in almost fear from Chris' lips.

But he had to get a hold of himself. "No, Chris. It's me, Leo," he said in a strong voice. "Come on. You can wake up now. Everything's gonna be okay."

Chris' eyes flew open in surprise and he sat straight up on the couch. He looked around wincing as he did so and then suddenly realized where he was. He reached up touching his forehead, which was still slightly tender but healed as he could feel. "You healed me?" The way he said it was almost as if he couldn't believe it.

"Of course I did, Chris. I couldn't see leaving you unconscious forever," Leo said shaking his head in false mirth. He had to play this off as no big deal. Remember no big deal.

"The Tribunal Chamber?" Chris asked in some confusion.

"Yeah, well that place seemed kinda creepy after you passed out so we got out of there as soon as our powers came back." He was beginning to think this would really work.

Chris looked at him suspiciously. "And what else did the chamber show you after I passed out," he asked in fear. '_Please say nothing, please say nothing._' Chris pleaded in his own mind.

"Not anything worth commenting on," Leo finally decided on. "We mostly just talked after you went out."

Chris wasn't so sure that was a good thing either. "About what, may I ask?"

"Well honestly we talked a lot about you, Chris, and Wyatt and the horrors of the future." Leo decided that being partially truthful was better than an out and out lie.

"And I'm assuming you came to some conclusions." Chris knew it. The other shoe was about to drop. They wouldn't believe him. They'd kick him out and never trust him again.

"Yes, yes we did," Leo said a touch of sadness in his face, knowing too well that he couldn't tell his son how they truly felt but at least he could say a few good things. "We decided that we've been too hard on you."

Chris had expected a lot of things but that statement was not one of them. "Pardon. What did you say?"

"I said that we've decided to trust in you more, be more supportive of your mission here." Leo knew his words were gonna be taken with a grain of salt. He would have been a fool to think that Chris trusted him to be telling the truth.

"By we, you mean the sisters right?" Chris asked skeptically.

"I mean all of us, Chris. Me included. Especially me." Leo's voice held a slight amount of guilt that he was unable to squelch. He just hoped that Chris didn't read too much into it.

Chris sat thinking for a few minutes not sure how to take that statement but he had to wonder at Leo's motives. Sure he had been sitting on the fence for some time now when it came to trusting Chris but he had seemed to be leaning away from trust for the most part recently. But the memories they had seen were pretty hard to refute. But still, Chris' instincts were not to accept the offer easily. "Are you sure this isn't just a round about way to keep tabs on me?"

Leo sighed in exasperation. "Chris, would it help if I said I trusted you?"

Chris hadn't expected an out and out admission of trust. It wasn't something Leo said easily. "I guess so," he finally said slowly accepting. "But what about the sisters?"

"They do too," Leo answered without doubt.

Now that, Chris was not prepared just to accept. He snorted in disbelief. "Yeah well, that one's a far stretch, Leo." Chris sat fully up and swung his legs off the couch ready to stand and orb back to P3.

"They do, Chris. Give them a chance. They know they made mistakes and are ready to make up for them." Leo had suddenly become very concerned that if Chris left he might not be coming back. He knew it was an irrational fear but one he couldn't shake anyhow.

Chris shot him a strange look. That was not at all what he had expected to hear. "Okay, Leo. If that is true then why are you the only one here right now? If they want to make up for their mistakes as you say, then where are they?"

Leo hadn't been prepared to answer that but he did know where each of the sisters were at that moment. "Paige and Phoebe are in the attic with the Book looking into some stuff and Piper is close. Probably in the kitchen. You know how she is. If anything disturbs her she immediately starts to cook. And a vision of her son becoming evil is quite disturbing, to say the least." He could tell that Piper was actually quite closer. She was right outside the family room door backed up against the wall next to the front door. She stood there with tears running down her face, not able to hold them back as she listened to the distrust her son held for them all. But she knew that she would have to face him. One of the sisters had to otherwise he'd never believe what Leo was telling him. So she dried her eyes and then walked around the corner into the family room.

"Oh, Chris, you're up. How are you feeling," she asked as emotionless as possible.

Chris looked up at her and thought how strange it was that she would suddenly just appear out of nowhere. But she had asked him a question. How was he? Well he was confused. He felt drained after a terrible day. He had a headache left over from his injuries and his shoulder was still a bit stiff from where she had tried to blow it off. Other than that he was "Fine. I'm just fine."

"Glad to hear that," she said with just the slightest of a smile on her face. "I'm gonna fix us a late dinner, since we were otherwise occupied earlier. You're welcome to stay if you're hungry." Piper knew it wasn't something she normally did but hoped that her and her sister's new found trust in him would explain away the invite. Besides she remembered just how he looked without his shirt on. He was severely undernourished and she meant to do something about that.

Chris just stared at her slightly in shock. She had never offered to feed him since he came to this timeline. Not once. Oh he had snuck a snack or two while he passed through the kitchen a few times, but that was always when he was alone. He had to admit that he was ravenous with hunger but he still wasn't quite sure about this new event. "I'm actually really tired. I think I'll just orb to P3 and get some sleep."

Piper was disappointed but she knew she couldn't say anything about it and she fought hard to keep the look from her face. She was about to suggest that he stay at the Manor but she could see the slight shake of head that Leo gave her. He was right. That would be too much. She had to back off. "Well maybe you'll join us for breakfast tomorrow instead." She didn't make it sound pushy, just an open invite and then she turned and left the room heading up to the attic.

"Maybe," he said still curious as to the changed attitude that Piper seemed to be displaying. "I'm gonna head out. I need some sleep," he finally said turning to Leo.

"Yeah, I bet you got a hell of a headache right now," Leo said nodding sympathetically. "Listen, Chris, I'm really sorry about that. I shouldn't have ever struck you."

Chris' eyebrows rose in surprise. He was tempted to make a sarcastic comment but he could see that Leo really meant it this time. "Let's just try not to have a repeat performance, okay."

Leo nodded "I'd never dream of hitting you again." The words seemed a little strange to Chris' ears but he could see that Leo wasn't just blowing smoke. He truly was ashamed of his actions. But Chris new better than to trust his father's mood not to change at a moments notice, so still he would keep a wary eye on Leo.

"Fine. I'm going now." With that blue and white orbs shone in the spot he just was in and he was gone.

Leo immediately sunk to the couch where Chris had just been sitting and it wasn't long before he felt the first tears streaming down his cheeks as his whole body shook with the force of the emotions. That had to be one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do. But he had pulled it off this time. Part of him hoped and prayed that it would get easier as time went by but then another part of him knew that it shouldn't. That it should always be hard not to be able to tell his son how he felt. To not be able to promise him that he'd never be mean to him again, or that he'd never abandon him. No it should be hard on him. He should feel pain. And he was sure that that was exactly how it would be.

* * *

She only made it halfway up the steps before the tears started streaming down her face as she felt as if her heart was breaking into a million little pieces. Every second of every day that she had to pretend not to know who Chris was, was just one more second that she lost with him. One more second that she could be telling him how much she truly did care about him. One more second that he could be smiling at her with that look of love in his eyes that she so longed to see again. One more second that she could be holding him and telling him that 'mommy' would make everything all right. But those seconds were slipping away and she knew she'd never get them back. She only hoped that she eventually would have many seconds, minutes and hours to do all of those things.

When she entered the attic her two sisters were talking quietly while they sat at the table in the middle of the room. Phoebe had a piece of paper and pen in front of her on the table and was scribbling on it as they talked. She looked up though when Piper entered the room. It was as if a wave of sorrow floated over her. "Oh, honey. Come here," she said immediately standing and wrapping her sister in a tight hug. Paige also stood and joined them holding her tight as the tears flowed freely and Piper started to sob.

Once the sobs had subsided and the tears were down to a trickle she pulled away from them and took a seat at the table reaching out and reading what her sister had come up with. She nodded scanning the words and then took the pen making a change to make the spell more specific. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she finally asked Phoebe passing the spell to Paige. She wasn't sure she could say the spell without breaking down so she'd leave it to her youngest sister instead.

"Piper, you know it's the only way. If I don't, I'll have to completely avoid Chris. And I'd really like to get to know my nephew, even if I can't tell him that I know he is my nephew." Phoebe had thought it through and was sure she knew what she was doing.

"And what about personal gain?" Piper asked.

Phoebe scowled a little at that. "Well technically I won't be gaining anything and neither will either of you. We are doing this to protect an innocent who knows nothing about it." It was strange to speak of Chris that way but it was the only way she could think if she thought the spell would work without consequences. "We just want to keep from hurting someone we love. How can they fault us for that?"

"I guess not," Piper said running her hands through her hair nervously and then motioned for Paige to say the spell.

Paige nodded and then read the words written on the slip of paper.

_Secrets revealed from another time_

_Lock them away within Phoebe's mind_

_Never her lips to be unsealed_

_Until the time, through Chris, they become unveiled_

After saying the spell Paige paused and waited to see if anything would happen. "How do we know if it worked?"

Piper's eyes got slightly larger and she shrugged then looked at Phoebe. "What's Chris' secret?" she finally asked going at it in the direct approach.

Phoebe looked at Piper and her mouth opened but then it immediately closed. "What secret?" she finally choked out.

"I'd say it worked," Paige said nodding.

* * *

_A/N: All right then. So how did I handle Chris waking up? I was really trying to keep him in character there. And what did you think of my little spell there. You'd all think I was crazy if you had seen me writing it down as I drove to the school to pick my kids up. I knew I'd forget it if I waited till I got home. So pen in hand and using the steering wheel as a desk I wrote and drove at the same time. Yeah, I know, safe driving practice there._


	11. Rapacious Demons

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** All right then, anyone who knows the meaning of the word rapacious is probably squirming right now. I know I was when I looked it up online. And I should mention that this fic starts about three months before Chris is conceived and will continue on until the day he is born. So that gives me a year worth of stories to tell. Oh my, I'm gonna like this. And I will say that most likely I will not include any of the episodes that aired on tv during that time. I really want to do my own original stuff, so pretty much just ignore what you saw and go with what I write. I might include a few elements from the show but I doubt I'll ever rewrite any of the episodes.

* * *

**Chapter 11 Rapacious Demons**

Piper had risen early the next day and had decided to fix a large breakfast. No one questioned why she did so but soon the dining room table was filled with bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausage, waffles, french toast and various breakfast beverages. Strange looks were passed between Paige and Leo as they ate a small amount of the overabundance of food. Phoebe had opted to just have coffee and toast after the late disturbing night they had had and Piper just picked at the food on her plate.

Every so often she would glance at her watch and then look up expecting blue and white orbs to suddenly appear, but by 10:30 it was pretty obvious that the breakfast 'maybe' had turned into a 'no.' Phoebe and Paige had already left for work but Piper tried hard not to let Leo see the look of disappointment she wore as she removed the food to the kitchen to stuff most of it down the garbage disposal. But Leo had noticed and he too felt disappointed that Chris hadn't taken her up on the invite.

He followed her into the kitchen and stood next to her at the sink while she cleaned up. "Give him some time. We have to do this when he's ready. It won't happen before then."

"I know, Leo. I just was hoping to get to know him a little better today," she whispered. She had promised herself that after crying most of the night she would not start in on it again today. Crying was doing nothing to bring her son closer to her. But still she could feel pinpricks of moisture in the corners of her eyes.

Leo nodded in understanding and then leaned in closer to her wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her into his arms. She didn't fight the action as she leaned into him. Now that she knew they were meant to get back together it was easier to give in to her own whims and let Leo comfort her.

That was the sight that greeted the young Witchlighter as he orbed into the kitchen behind them and for a moment he was shocked to see it. Leo and Piper had heard him appear and both turned. Leo looked sufficiently embarrassed to be caught holding his technically ex-wife but Piper's smile brightened noticeably. Chris put that off as her just trying to cover for the intimate moment. "Chris, hello," she said happily.

Chris was frozen for a moment. What had he just seen? Were his parents holding each other? Did that mean that just maybe things were on the right track for them again? Then a thought occurred to him. He had disturbed them. _'Damn,'_ he thought to himself. _'What rotten timing.'_

Truthfully he had never wanted to split them up. They were good for each other, no matter how tough it got later on in life. They always loved each other even if they didn't often understand each other. "If I'm interrupting something, I can come back later," he said in an apologetic tone.

"No, Chris, your fine," Piper rushed to assure him. "I was just cleaning up from breakfast. Would you like anything?" She glanced back quickly to see what she hadn't shoved into the disposal yet.

Chris' stomach growled just as he said. "I'm not hungry." Both Piper and Leo tried to hold back their chuckles at that but Piper just couldn't keep quiet.

She gave him a questioning look as her eyebrows rose. "Chris, do you have a demon tucked under your shirt?" She couldn't help it. The embarrassed look on his face was just too priceless.

Chris turned a dark shade of scarlet and looked down. "Well maybe I am a little hungry."

"Sit down," she ordered, motioning him to the kitchen table then started reheating the food that was left. "You would have had a better selection if you'd been here when the rest of us ate, but seeing as you had a rough day yesterday, I'll forgive you for that," she said as she bustled around the kitchen setting sausage, pancakes, toast and bacon in front of him along with both juice and milk. The eggs and french toast had already met their demise in the garbage disposal.

Chris wanted to say that he preferred coffee but held his tongue worried that she'd snap out of whatever had gotten her in the mood to feed him. Leo sat at the table across from him and when Chris looked at him questioningly. He just shrugged and mouthed the words "Go with it."

Chris decided maybe it was a wise idea and picked up his fork digging into the huge breakfast. He couldn't remember when the last time was that he had ate a meal so good, but was surprised when he wiped out a plate holding more than twice what he would consider a healthy meal.

Piper had been moving about the kitchen cleaning sporadically trying not to hover over him. But the moment she realized his plate was empty she focused her attention on the table again. "Would you like some more? It wouldn't take long to make some," she asked removing the plate from in front of him.

Chris' eyes widened in surprise. "Um, no, Piper. I'm fine, stuffed actually." What exactly had gotten into her? His mind started to swirl in fear. Surely she didn't know something. He almost immediately discounted the idea though. If they had found out they'd all be all over him. There wouldn't be any calm laid-back breakfasts with just the three of them. They'd have a million questions and probably a few accusations to boot. No this wasn't what he'd expect if they did find out.

Piper saw the warning glance that Leo was directing at her and decided to back off. "Good, so what do you have planned for today?" she asked returning to the sink to finish the dishes trying to act as if everything was all business.

Chris remembered why he had orbed there to begin with. "Yeah, I needed to take a look at the Book of Shadows. I've got another theory."

"Anything we should know about?" Leo asked leaning forward.

"Well it's just a theory right now, so if it's all right with you I'll wait to discuss further when I have more on it." Chris wasn't exactly sure how their new desire to help him in his mission would exactly work. And for some reason he felt like he should clear his idea with them before he just did what he'd normally do.

"Chris, if you want, I'll help you work on this theory," Leo suggested.

Chris wasn't exactly sure he had heard Leo right. Had he just said he wanted to work with Chris? "You don't have to do that, Leo. It may be nothing. Just some leads I'll need to follow up in the underworld."

Leo looked down to the table and waited for it. Clank. There went a dish into the sink. He certainly hoped that Piper wouldn't come unglued. That would certainly not be a good thing. But she didn't turn to look at them and acted as if she hadn't really heard. _'He's going to the underworld. Oh god, he's going to the underworld. Please let him be alright.'_ Piper chanted to herself resisting the urge to go into full mothering mode and tell him that he could not go.

Chris had been distracted by the plate falling but looked back to Leo when he realized Piper had just let one slip from her hands. Leo looked back up to him. "I don't mind, Chris. I'm actually gonna be around here more often and it will give me something to do." With that he glanced at Piper for a moment and Chris followed his line of sight.

Whoa that was an unmistakable lay of claim in Leo's eyes. They were definitely getting back together. Chris just nodded. "I guess it's okay," Chris said only slightly reluctant. The idea of being around Leo more often was sort of frightening but if it would help to get them back on track, it was worth it. Chris still had his own existence to take into consideration.

With that Leo and Chris both orbed to the attic, where Chris started to thumb through the book of shadows. As he did so he explained his theory to Leo. It seemed that there was a group of low level demons, that he had always discounted as a threat before, that if he remembered right had gained a little more power in the near future but suddenly blinked out of existence just about a year from then. Chris' theory was that somehow they had managed to gain the power to turn Wyatt but once that happened he had been forced to destroy them all for his own safety. It was a little far fetched but Chris wasn't about to discount anything completely. "Okay, so we are looking for the Rapacious Demons. Oh and isn't this nice. They eat human flesh."

Leo grimaced at the disgusting thought. He had heard of them before but it wasn't often that they took witches so they were usually under the radar of the Elders. Mortal murders happened every day and it was often hard to determine if the deaths were the demons or some animal by the time the remains were found. Then a thought struck him. "Chris, how do you know that this clan of demons are gonna be wiped out in about a year?" It was such an obscure event that it was hard to believe that he'd have even known about it. He wasn't even born yet. "You actually seem to know a lot about a lot of demons."

Chris scowled some at that question. He figured Leo was still trying to find a way to make him out to be something evil. Chris decided that since they had already seen Wyatt and he as friends in his memory that slipping a little more harmless information in wouldn't hurt. "Magic School detention with Paige Matthews."

Leo began to chuckle at such an innocent explanation, but then realized what Chris was saying. "Wait, Paige becomes a teacher at Magic School?"

"Yes, she does, and she was the toughest teacher I ever had, especially if you got detention and believe me, Wyatt and I had it a lot. She made us copy text from demonology books for hours at a time." Chris thought it was ironic that all of that punishment from his youth came in pretty handy in his current situation. But then a thought hit him. "That's not to say that we were troublemakers or anything. We just…" Chris broke off not exactly sure how to explain away his slip up.

"That's okay, Chris. Boys will be boys," Leo said smiling. "And I promise, not a word to Paige."

"Thanks," he said sighing in relief. He wondered at how strange it felt to actually be able to talk about something in his past and not feel as if at any moment the world would end because he had said too much. It honestly felt pretty good.

"Anyhow, what's the plan for today?" Leo asked expectantly.

Chris was about to say something then realized his mistake. He had told Leo that this would be just a fact-finding mission before he had volunteered to help. But truth be told in most of these cases Chris would just vanquish the demons in a preemptive strike. There were many times when he hadn't bothered to take the sisters on a vanquish. As a matter of fact unless the demons required a power of three spell he never even bothered them with it at all. He wasn't sure exactly how to tell Leo that though. "Chris, is something wrong?" Leo finally asked when he hadn't said anything.

Something told Chris that telling the truth would probably get a complete refusal to help from Leo. It wasn't as if Leo would care about how dangerous it would be. Heck he was an Elder. It wasn't like the demons could kill him. But still it wasn't something Chris could ever imagine Leo doing. In all of his days Chris had never seen Leo accompany the sisters on a vanquish. He usually was left at home to watch the kids. It just wasn't something a pacifist did. So how was Chris gonna handle this? "You know, Leo, you don't have to go down there with me. You've helped enough and I'm sure Piper would rather you stayed here with her and Wyatt."

Leo wanted to immediately scream that he wasn't letting his son run off to the underworld alone but he held his tongue and shook his head. "No matter how much I want to be with my family I can't be on top of them twenty four hours a day, Chris. I think spending more time down there will help open up my eyes to the threats the sisters have to face and make me a better more protective father." In a roundabout way Leo was being completely honest. He was attempting to protect his son, just not the son that Chris thought he was referring to and it wasn't very often that the Elders faced the evil that they were so against in this world. It could be good for him.

Chris nodded realizing that he wasn't gonna easily dissuade Leo. "Okay, I guess this will be a spying mission. Let's see if we can find out what they are up to." With that he walked over to the bookcase next to the cauldron and moved a few of the items in the front picking up a medium size leather bag that was behind them.

"What's that?" Leo asked realizing that he hadn't ever noticed it before.

Chris opened the bag and pulled out a couple of potion vials. "Emergency kit. Never hurts to be prepared when heading down there." Truth be told there were at least fifteen potion vials and a very sharp Athame in the kit and he was positive he'd be using them very soon.

Leo nodded and wondered how often Chris did this, but kept his mouth shut not wanting to push Chris and make him think he didn't trust him.

"All right the last time I was down there I discovered where their lair was, and there is a chamber not far from there that's not used so much. We can probably just orb directly in, without worry of being discovered." Chris had planned this all out a couple of days before but then things had went to hell but the plan was still a good one.

"All right, I'll follow you," Leo agreed.

As the two men's orbs reformed in the chamber, Chris realized the mistake he had made. He should have went about getting there the hard way seeing as the chamber was now filled with chanting Rapacious Demons. They looked up at the pair and another demon who was standing next to an alter quickly called out a phrase in Latin and several red crystals around the room lit up forming a circle around the demons, Chris and Leo. Their attempts to orb away were met with a very painful jolt as they were held fast to the circle.

"This is not good," Chris called opening his leather pouch grabbing several of the vials out.

Leo backed to the edge of the crystal circle as far away from the demons as possible putting his back to the relative safety of the boundary. "Chris, over here," he called seeing that he was fighting off several of the demons. He had already used half of his potion vials.

But Chris was surrounded by too many of them. Everywhere he turned there were demons grasping at him and biting at him. It wasn't long before the potions were gone and Chris had started slashing at the demons with the Athame in one hand and tk'ing them away with the other. He hadn't ever expected there would be this many of them. None of the text had said over a dozen in a clan. But there had to be at least fifty of them in that one chamber. It must have been a meeting of the clans for some sort of ritual. Chris had just picked the wrong day to strike.

Leo knew the rules as an Elder. He wasn't to use any of his Elder powers to harm anyone or anything, even demons. But he watched helplessly as Chris started to become overrun by the monsters. He watched in horror as one of the creatures jumped onto Chris' back and sunk its teeth into his shoulder and that was the last straw as far as Leo could see. He raised one hand and called, "Chris," realizing that even though they couldn't orb out they could still orb within the crystals. With that the young witch orbed to him landing sort of slumped over his arm. Leo easily laid his son on the ground and then stood facing the demons. If ever there was a time to break the rules, now was it. The demons had been concentrating on the witch that was attacking them and were leaving the other one alone until their prey just suddenly disappeared from their midst. In anger they turned to the other one who they could see was protecting their intended prey.

It was now or never. Leo held both hands aloft and steams of electricity flew from his hands and the moment they touched a demon it would disintegrate into nothing but ash. He continued to do that over and over until the only demon left was the one who had trapped them to begin with. Leo could see it was about to shimmer out but he wasn't gonna allow even one of the demons that had harmed his son to survive. With that he used his power one last time and the demon exploded into a million pieces. At that the crystals around them deactivated and they were free.

Leo immediately kneeled next to Chris seeing that he was conscious but in a terrible amount of pain from the bites he had sustained. "It's okay, Chris. I got ya. But you have to hold on a minute. I have to orb us out of here before anymore come." Leo grasped Chris' hand and orbed them back to the Manor where they appeared in the entry hall.

Piper had just been walking down the stairs when she saw them appear. Chris was lying on the floor gasping in pain as Leo kneeled over him. "Chris!" she screamed in fear and ran to where they were. "What the hell happened, Leo?"

"I'll explain later. Help me get him to the couch," he answered her trying to pull Chris up without touching any of his wounds.

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_A/N: Oh, I know, horrible cliffie. Why must I do this? Yeah kick me if you want but you all know I'll update real quick, as long as you don't maim me, that is. Any questions or concerns that aren't life threatening to me?_


	12. Do It Again

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N**: Well guess what I just realized? Somehow when I uploaded chapter 7 ffnet deleted the last paragraph I had written. I wondered why someone asked me what Chris would have changed in the past. Anyhow I have fixed that. I'm sure you all figured out that he had said that he'd make Leo an Elder but if anyone wants to read the paragraph it is now there. I really wish I'd have noticed it earlier though.

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**Chapter 12 Do It Again**

_Piper had just been walking down the stairs when she saw them appear. Chris was lying on the floor gasping in pain as Leo kneeled over him. "Chris!" she screamed in fear and ran to where they were._

_"What the hell happened, Leo?"_

"I'll explain later. Help me get him to the couch," he answered her trying to pull Chris up without touching any of his wounds.

Once they had him on the couch Leo started to heal his wounds. There were so many of them. During this time Chris lay with his eyes squeezed shut feeling as if every inch of his body was on fire.

Piper was pacing nervously behind Leo wringing her hands. "Why is this taking so long, Leo?"

Leo was wondering that himself. He had never healed the bite of a Rapacious Demon before. "I'm not sure. The wounds are healing but for some reason I can still feel something very wrong inside."

Chris had barely caught Leo's words and some of the things he had learned while in Magic School started to come back to him. But he felt so weak and the information was confused inside his head. "Leo… need the demonology books," he said weakly gritting his teeth in pain.

Leo heard what Chris had said but frowned trying to think of what books he was speaking of. After a moment he began to remember what Chris had said about Paige and Magic School. "Of course. Don't worry, Chris. We'll get them." He turned to Piper, "We need Paige and Phoebe."

Piper immediately looked up and yelled, "Paige, we need you."

Paige orbed in with an annoyed look on her face. "You know they do make something called the telephone. What's the big emergency?"

Piper pointed to Chris and Paige's eyes widened when she saw how bad he looked. Leo had managed to heal his wounds but he was covered in sweat and his eyes seemed to be fogged over in pain his face locked in a permanently twisted grimace. "What happened?"

"No time to explain, Paige. I need you to go get Phoebe and then come back here," Leo said looking nervously at his son.

"Okay, right back." Paige immediately orbed away leaving two very worried parents behind.

"Now, Leo. Can you tell me what happened to Chris?" Piper asked standing right behind where he was kneeling staring over him at Chris. She wanted so badly to sit next to him and hold him but knew that wasn't possible.

"We got ambushed by about fifty demons," Leo explained checking Chris' breathing. It seemed way to fast to him. "Chris, you still with me?" he asked trying to get his attention. Chris looked up at him but could only nod.

All color drained from Piper's face. Fifty demons. "Wait, those were bite marks. What demon does that?"

Leo was beginning to become annoyed with his wife. He had more important things to worry about than easing her fears right then. But still, she was as concerned as he was and had the right to know. "They are called Rapacious Demons and they eat human flesh."

"Ewww, no… And you two went looking for them?" she asked incredulously. "Leo, what is wrong with you?"

Chris was so surprised to hear her jumping all over Leo for a change. That usually would be his unfortunate fate. But maybe since he was hurt she had decided to lay off him. But still it hadn't been Leo's fault. "Piper… My fault. I miscalculated," he coughed out defending Leo.

Piper turned on Chris completely surprised that he'd defend his father after everything that had happened. "Chris, I appreciate you trying to take all the blame on this, but don't. You were both irresponsible." That was all she could think to say to him without blowing his secret. "Now all we should be concerned about is getting you better."

"My thoughts exactly," Leo said under his breath just as Paige and Phoebe orbed back in.

"Oh, Chris," Phoebe immediately said kneeling next to him. "You look horrible."

He looked to her and tried to scowl. "Thanks."

Leo stood and walked out into the foyer standing at the base of the staircase. He seemed to be concentrating very hard on something. The sisters followed him out and waited expectantly. All three were surprised when a door appeared halfway up the stairs on the landing.

"What is that?" Piper asked nervously.

"That's a door to Magic School. Again I'll explain later," Leo said turning to them with his hands out trying to allay any questions before they started. "Paige, Phoebe, I need you to go in there and find the school headmaster. His name is Gideon and he's an Elder. Tell him who you are and that I need every demonology book he has that mentions Rapacious Demons. Get back here as quick as you can."

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Phoebe asked staring back to where Chris was lying. He had started moaning really low and she could feel the pain he was in.

"I'm not sure but I'm guessing some kind of poison was transmitted when they bit him." Neither of them had seen the bites all over Chris' body and it brought shocked gasps from them both.

"We're gone," Paige said pulling Phoebe with her up the stairs and through the door.

Leo went back into the family room and took up his place next to Chris. His eyes had closed and his face was a mask of pain. Leo was reminded of the day that Bianca had tried to drain his powers. He seemed to be in just as much pain. It had been so much easier to watch Chris' suffering before he knew who he was though. He had felt horrible back then that Chris was in pain but now it was almost as if he could feel his son's pain himself. "Chris," he whispered in concern. "Can you still hear me?"

Chris' eyes flew open and went to Leo. The look in those eyes was one that broke his heart. His eyes were full of unshed tears and it was as if they pleaded for him to take his pain away. He opened his mouth but only one word was forced through his teeth. "Hurts."

Leo leaned over and placed one hand on Chris' forehead brushing his hair back. The other hand he hovered over Chris' chest trying to heal him yet again. He knew it wouldn't heal whatever was causing his son's pain but just maybe he might be able to offer him just a little bit of relief anyway. "I know, Buddy. I know. I promise we'll find a way to heal you." After a moment or so Chris' breathing slowed slightly and he seemed to relax a little. "Does that feel any better?" Leo asked hopefully.

"A little," Chris managed swallowing hard.

Piper had went upstairs and brought Wyatt down placing him in his playpen in the sunroom. She knew that if she stayed in the same room as Chris, she wouldn't be able to hold off on her mothering ways for long. But still it was harder than she might have ever imagined. She found herself walking back and forth from the sunroom to the family room. She tried to stay in the sunroom with Wyatt but every time she heard any painful noise from the family room she'd find herself at the door just staring at her grown son. Then she began to wonder how many more events like this she was going to have to suffer through, with both this Chris and the one that was yet to be born, not to mention Wyatt. Was she gonna spend her entire life in a panic over worry for her children? She knew the answer without having to ask anyone. Decidedly yes! She turned again and walked back into the sunroom picking up Wyatt and clutching him to her chest as she paced the room with tears streaming down her face.

Chris' mind had begun to clear some after Leo's healing touch had decreased the pain. But Leo had to keep applying that touch and often to keep the pain level to a bearable level. Chris knew that the Elder's powers were not boundless and eventually Leo's healing would start to fizzle as he became exhausted from doing so. "Stop, Leo. I can handle the pain," he said weakly.

Leo's eyes snapped to Chris' and he shook his head. "You're still in pain, Chris. I can't stop."

Chris looked at him appreciatively. "You're gonna exhaust yourself. Between healing and the fire power I saw you use back in that cave you should be about to run dry."

"You let me worry about that," Leo instructed reaching out again ready to heal but Chris grabbed his hand stopping him.

"Leo, save it for later. It'll be worse then." Chris had begun to remember more about the bite of the Rapacious Demon and none of what he remembered was good. He then tried to push himself to a sitting position. Leo grabbed a pillow and shoved it behind his back knowing Chris wasn't gonna just lay back peacefully.

"Paige and Phoebe will find a cure, Chris. And then you'll be just fine. Have a little faith in your … them." Leo had almost slipped and said 'your family.' He'd have to be more careful he decided.

Chris hadn't seemed to notice the slip though as he seemed to be thinking of something else. "Leo, you used your Elder powers to destroy those demons."

Leo looked away from Chris staring at the rug between his feet. "Yes," he finally said in reluctance.

"But the other Elders…" Chris began to say in worry. He knew there had to be penalties for what Leo did.

"What they don't know, won't hurt them," Leo finally said looking up to Chris and giving him a smile. He didn't regret his actions at all. He had done what was necessary to save his son and that's what mattered to him. "Chris, I'd do it again if I had to."

Chris' eyes widened in surprise. Not only had Leo used his powers to save him but he was also prepared to lie to the other Elders because of it. The father he had grown up with wouldn't have ever done anything like that for him. Maybe for Wyatt, but never him. He couldn't help the question that came to his lips. "Why?" Leo could hear the disbelief in his voice and he had to admit that it hurt like hell to know that his son would never expect him to care enough to want to save him. But he had to remind himself that Chris did not see him as his father yet and the man who had been his father probably would not have cared enough to save him. Leo tried to hide the hurt expression with a strained smile but it still had flashed in his eyes for a moment. This confused Chris even more. This wasn't the Leo he was used to.

"Chris…" Leo paused not exactly sure what to say. Right then he knew he had to think of this as if Chris wasn't his son. His answer could not be affected by that fact at all if he was ever to keep Chris' secret. "You deserve better," he finally settled on looking back on what Chris was doing to save Wyatt and all of the pain he had suffered because of it. "Better than the life you've had to live. Better than the treatment we've given you. What you are doing here is amazing. You've lived through hell and you came back in time to save the person that put you through that. You told Piper once that I was one of the best sources of pure goodness in this world. But I've never been as selfless as what you are right now. So please just let me help you when you need it. I want to."

When Chris had traveled back in time he had never expected to find his father as such a different person than the one he knew. He began to wonder what on earth could have ever changed him so much. The man before him had a very large and generous heart, but then again would it be that way if he knew who Chris really was? At that moment he wanted so desperately to tell his father who he was exactly, in hopes that maybe his eyes wouldn't cloud over in suspicion and hate like they did so often in his childhood. He wanted to see his father's eyes filled with love for him, for his son just once. He began to open his mouth to say something but the notion quickly faded away as Piper walked into the room, holding baby Wyatt. It was probably for the best that he hadn't said anything he decided. But still he felt disappointment at the lost opportunity.

Piper had dried her eyes but she still wore a worried look. "You're sitting up. Shouldn't you be lying down?"

Chris' eyebrows arched slightly. Was that worry in her voice? "I'm okay for now. Leo helped it a lot," he answered wincing slightly at the pain he still felt.

Piper saw the wince and looked to Leo. "I think you need to do some more." The look on her face had that 'or else' quality that Leo and Chris were both used to seeing.

"Not yet. He needs to save his strength for when it gets really bad," Chris explained but he was still staring at Piper curiously. Why did she seem to be threatening Leo over his well-being? That just seemed wrong.

"How bad will it get?" she asked her face showing even more concern than before.

Chris blinked again in surprise. "Piper, are you okay?"

She realized too late just how much concern she was showing. Too much for someone who could barely be called a friend. "I'm fine." She smiled nervously. "Why are you asking about me when you've been poisoned?" she countered. "I'm not the one who was used as a demon sized chew toy."

Chris couldn't help the small laugh that escaped his lips even if it did hurt like hell to do so. By the time the mirth was gone he was holding his stomach in extreme pain. "Please… don't… make… me… laugh," he said wincing between each word.

"Okay, Chris. Lean back. It's getting bad again." With that Leo took both his shoulders and pushed him back as he placed his hands above his stomach and they started glowing again. Within a few moments Chris had stopped breathing hard again and he no longer clutched his stomach. But Leo was worried about the look in Chris' eyes. So much pain. He could tell it was getting worse. He laid one hand on Chris' shoulder squeezing it comfortingly. "Rest now, Chris. If I see you in more pain I'll help. I promise I won't let you down."

Chris nodded once and let his eyes fall closed smiling softly at the warm feeling those words gave him.

Piper had seen the way Leo was with Chris and felt a longing to be able to be that way with him too but she knew it would have to wait. Chris needed Leo then, not her. "Where are my sisters?" she finally asked trying to force her mind away from more painful subjects.

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_A/N: Okay I know, not much plotline in this chapter. I do realize it was mostly hurt and comfort but I'm really trying to have Leo and the sisters gain Chris' trust and affection and doesn't pain bring a family closer together? Actually I had planned on having the sisters back before the end of this chapter but I got carried away with the whole father/son bonding thing. Sorry, it is certainly my weak point. I should also mention that I am not exactly sure whether Elder power is limitless or not but I'm thinking not since the Avatars power wasn't and the Elders feared them. It just makes more sense if the Elders have some limits. And again if anyone is waiting for an update on my other story Second Existence, I am getting to it. I've just been seriously slowed down do to this stupid flu. I am getting to it, I promise._


	13. Healing

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N**: Well everyone seems to be feeling so bad for poor Chris. I promise I don't want to hurt him. It just happens to the poor boy. Due to popular demand flashbacks are back and again represented in _italics_.

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**Chapter 13 Healing**

Chris had finally managed to fall into a restless sleep, which didn't exactly allay his parent's fears. Piper stood watching him struggle in his sleep wanting so badly to do something to take the pain away.

"What could be taking them so long?" Leo asked in exasperation.

"Leo, why don't you go check on them?" Piper suggested but she could see by the look on his face that he didn't want to leave Chris' side. "If he gets worse I'll call you, I promise," she assured him. "You can hear me in there, can't you?"

Leo nodded. Orbing in and out of Magic School was allowed. The only reason he'd created the door before was because Paige wouldn't know how to get there on her own. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He gave Chris one last look as if leaving him was the most painful thing he could do and then disappeared into a swirl of shining orbs.

Piper pulled a chair closer to the couch so she could sit next to Chris. She could see how his head turned from side to side as if he was trying to fight something off. She wondered if he was having a nightmare. She reached out and stroked the side of his face whispering to him, "It's okay, Chris. I'm right here and I won't let anything hurt you."

With the words Chris seemed to quiet noticeable and she could see the pained expression on his face fade slightly. She decided that talking to him might have its advantages. "You're very sick right now, sweetie. But we are gonna take care of you and soon it will be all better." These words seemed to bring him even more peace.

_Chris could hear his mother's voice and it was the only thing that seemed to drive away the pain. He couldn't remember where he was or how he had gotten so sick_ _but he knew it was bad this time. His mind began to wonder to the first time he could remember being close to this sick._

"_Mom, it hurts," he said trying to keep the tears back. At the age of six, shortly after he started school he had decided that it was definitely not cool to cry in front of anyone not even his mom. But he was fighting a losing battle, as the pain became worse and worse._

"_I know, baby, but we are gonna take care of you and it will be all better soon." Piper tried to sooth her son's worry._

_Chris had been sick for almost two weeks now but for several days he had kept quiet about it trying not to worry his mother. But that morning when he had woken up and felt like his throat was swollen shut he had finally given in and went to her. That in itself was enough to tell Piper that it was serious this time. Chris very rarely would admit to being sick. He hated to worry his mother, and his father most of the time just shook it off as nothing important or told him to quit acting like a baby._

_They were sitting in the emergency room at the hospital waiting to hear what the doctors had to say. Piper could see the pain in his eyes and wanted to be able to banish it from his small form but knew that there was nothing she could do about it right then. But she did know how to comfort her youngest son. She slid onto the hospital bed next to him and pulled him into her arms. When he did not pull back she wondered just how much pain he really felt. Instead he laid his head on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist pressing his damp eyes into the fabric of her blouse._

_She began to tenderly run her hand over her son's back as she placed soft kisses on his forehead and whispered words of comfort that only he could hear. _

_It wasn't long until the doctor came in and told them that Chris was suffering from a very severe case of tonsillitis. Not unusual for a child his age but the fact that it had went on for too long without being treated had made it so much more painful for the child. He was given antibiotics for the infection but as the doctor stepped from the room he added something that made Chris turn pale as the sheets on the bed. "As soon as that infection clears up, I want to schedule him for surgery. I'll be back in a little while with the surgery schedule and we can decide when would be the best time."_

_Piper nodded knowing that that would be coming. She remembered having her own tonsils out at Chris' age. But then she noticed that her son was shaking all over. She turned her head back to him and saw the fear in his eyes. "Oh, it's okay baby. Tonsil surgery is very simple and doesn't hurt at all."_

_Chris looked up to her with those huge green eyes and she could tell that this time he would cry. "I don't want to."_

_Piper hugged him tighter. "Chris, sweetie, I know it's scary to think about but it won't hurt you."_

"_Mommy, please don't make me. I promise I'll be good and I won't do anything wrong ever again," he pleaded with her._

"_Peanut, this has nothing to do with you doing anything wrong. It's just something that some children have to deal with," she hated to think that he thought he was being punished for something by having to have surgery. "Wyatt had his tonsils out a couple of years ago too and he could tell you that you have nothing to worry about."_

_Chris looked skeptically at her and then did the one thing he could think to do. "Wyatt," he called out in fear._

_Piper's eyes widened. Wyatt appeared right next to Chris on the other side of the bed from her and she quickly scanned around them worried that someone had seen, but the curtains were all drawn around the bed and hopefully no one had noticed the blue and white orbs lighting the space. "Wyatt, you can not orb into a hospital," she hissed quietly._

"_But Chris needed me," he explained as if that made all the difference in the world and to him it probably did she realized._

"_Okay fine. Honey, can you please tell Chris that having your tonsils removed is not anything to be afraid of." As long as he was there he well as help his brother._

_Wyatt looked at his brother and saw the tears in his eyes nodding in understanding. He quickly crawled onto Chris' side of the bed and sat next to his brother's legs facing him. If he'd been any closer he would have been sitting on top of them. "She's right, Chris. I had mine out and at first I was scared like you."_

_Chris loosened the grip he had on his mother so he could sit up and face Wyatt. "Really?"_

"_Yes, then Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige told me about when they had theirs out. They said that it only hurt a tiny bit, a lot less than before they took them out, and afterwards they got to stay in bed for a few days watching whatever they wanted on TV and eating all the ice cream they wanted." That to Wyatt was the best part of the whole ordeal._

_Chris' eyes widened in disbelief. They got to eat ice cream every so often for dessert but it was a treat and only after they had eaten everything else, even their vegetables. But to be able to eat it whenever they wished seemed like a dream come true. He turned to his mother though and she could tell that he wanted more reassurance. "Yes, Chris, all the ice cream you want."_

_Chris smiled at that thought and snuggled even deeper into his mother's embrace. Wyatt then crawled up the bed and scooted in next to Chris opposite his mom and wrapped his arms around his little brother. He knew that his mom would make him orb back home soon but for now he wanted to be there for his brother. He remembered when he was in Chris' position and knew that Chris' tonsils were probably a lot worse since he never told anyone when he was sick until it got too serious to ignore._

Piper could see the smile that lit her son's face and wondered exactly what was going through his mind. Whatever it was she was thankful that it was soothing his discomfort. She reached out taking his hand into hers hoping that somehow it would help him even more but it wasn't long until she could see the pain returning anew and he started to whimper as the hand she wasn't holding drifted to his stomach. She remembered how he had been clutching his stomach earlier. "Leo," she called out quietly trying not to pull him from his sleep.

Leo immediately orbed next to her along with Paige, Phoebe and a man she did not recognize. "Leo, he's beginning to hurt again," she said urging him to do something.

"We'll get started on the potion," Paige said grabbing Phoebe's hand and orbing them to the attic.

Leo immediately kneeled next to Chris again placing his hands above his stomach and concentrated hard on healing him, but it wasn't hard to see that the healing glow was fading. His power was so close to being drained he realized.

"Leo, what's wrong," Piper asked in confusion.

Leo pulled his hands back and slumped down to the floor. "Chris was right. My powers are too drained. I can't heal him anymore until I have rested." His voice sounded so disheartened and he looked almost broken. He was failing his son.

The other man who had arrived with them walked over next to Leo, "Let me," he said smiling down at his friend.

Piper stood quickly her hands out ready to defend her son. "Who are you?"

Leo reached up and grabbed Piper's hand pulling it down. "This is Gideon, Piper. He's my friend and mentor. He won't hurt Chris."

"An Elder?" Piper's voice was laced slightly with suspicion.

"Yes, Piper, an Elder and one who stood up on our behalf when we wanted to marry," Leo explained.

That surprised Piper but she backed away giving Gideon room to heal Chris.

Gideon quickly started the healing process. "You know this is only temporary, Leo. I'm no stronger than you. That potion is the only thing that can save him."

"Yes I know. I just want to take his pain away for as long as I can. He's had to deal with too much pain in his life already." Leo's voice sounded bitter at the last words and Gideon looked at him strangely.

"You are going to have to tell me about this young man someday. Someone who can garner this much devotion from you must be something special." Gideon smiled to Leo and Leo just nodded. He couldn't tell Gideon Chris' secret, but maybe someday if Chris ever decided to reveal it himself, it would be nice to have a friend to talk to about everything he had learned about his future self. Maybe the other Elder could help him to understand why in Chris' time he had become such a horrible father.

After he was finished healing Chris, Gideon stepped back and watched curiously. He had had discussions about Chris with some of the other Elders and had been under the impression that the Whitelighter from the future was not high on Leo's list of trusted friends. So why the change in heart all of a sudden? What had he learned from the young man that would make Leo this concerned over him? It was a curious occurrence for sure. "I must be heading back to the school, but if you need me before the potion is ready just call."

Leo and Piper both just nodded, neither of them taking their eyes from the young man. With that Gideon orbed back to Magic School with a puzzle in his mind to try to decipher.

But the sound of the voices and the orbing in and out had worked to bring Chris' mind back to consciousness and soon his eyes were fluttering open. The first thing he saw was his mom standing over him with a look of concern covering her face. For a moment he thought that maybe he was six years old again and she was watching over him while he recovered from being ill. But something about that didn't sound right and he let his mind process the reality around him. He looked around and also noticed his father sitting on the floor beside him and the look on his face was also full of concern. That above everything else convinced him that this could not be his reality. It only took a few seconds more to register what had been happening. Oh if only he could have been locked in that memory for a little bit longer. He groaned at the thought of having to leave the comfort and warmth he had felt while in it.

"Are you in a lot of pain, Chris?" Piper asked sitting back down on the chair next to him.

Chris looked up and still she wore a look of concern. And no matter how much he knew it wasn't possible, for just a minute he wanted her to be the mother he remembered. He wanted her to hold him and tell him that they would take care of him and he'd be all right. But even though Piper was showing concern for him, she still was not his mom. She wasn't the woman who had nursed him back to health when he was sick and the one who used to wrap her arms around him and kiss his forehead to see if he was running a fever. She never needed a thermometer to gauge his illness. That one kiss always told her when he was ill and how ill he was. He had to shake his head to extract himself from the wonderful memory he was immersed in before he really did something stupid and called Piper 'mom' or something else just as foolhardy. She had asked him a question. Pain. Was he in a lot of pain? He had to admit there was some but not more than he could bear. "I'm fine, Piper," he settled on finally seeing her worry as he didn't answer her.

She looked at him in disbelief. "Chris, I'm not that naive," she said crossing her arms over her chest giving him a look that would melt ice.

Now that was the Piper he expected. He was on a more even keel when she was around. He wasn't exactly sure how to take the Piper that was all concerned and mothering, and it reminded him too much of the mother he had lost. "Okay, as fine as can be expected in my situation," he corrected.

"Thought so," she answered. "I'm gonna go check on Paige and Phoebe and see if they have that potion done." She was about to turn and leave when they heard steps come charging down the steps. Paige and Phoebe both came sliding around the corner and into the room, nearly tripping over the antique rug in the foyer. "Never mind."

"We got it," Phoebe called in triumph. "We just need a drop of your blood, Piper."

Piper blinked slightly, "Excuse me."

"We thought that blessing it with the power of three might make it work a little better," Paige explained.

Chris looked at them strangely. He knew it probably wasn't a necessary step but still it was a kind gesture.

Piper nodded. "You two already blessed it?" she asked. They each nodded. "And you didn't faint," she asked Paige. Everyone knew how Paige hated the sight of blood.

Paige just gave her a sarcastic grin. "Hey, we gotta take care of our favorite Bitchy Whitelighter."

"Nice," Chris said rolling his eyes at Paige. "I can feel the love."

With that Phoebe came forward and went about the steps necessary for Piper to bless the potion too. Once done Leo helped Chris to sit back up and handed him the potion.

Chris looked at it and then back at Paige and Phoebe who were waiting expectantly. "There aren't any side effects to this potion are there?" he asked worried by their intense stares.

Phoebe made a swiping motion with her hand. "No go ahead, Chris." Then he downed the potion in one swallow. "Let us know if he grows fangs, okay?" Phoebe added smiling at Piper, who couldn't help the grin that crossed her face at her sister's joke.

Chris glared at Phoebe and then closed his eyes waiting for the potion to take effect. After just a few moments he felt a cool wave sweep over him and when it had left all of the pain had left with it. His eyes snapped open and he smiled large, something that he didn't do too often.

"So, how do you feel?" Leo asked expectantly.

Chris looked down to where Leo sat finally realizing just how worn he looked. "I feel great. Better than I have in a long time." As a matter of fact he couldn't believe exactly how good he did feel. It was almost as if the warmth from his dream memory had managed to invade his waking world and he was completely utterly happy. But still the look of his father worried him. "You don't look so good though. I told you not to use the healing so much."

Leo just smiled at his concern. "I'm just tired but glad that you are better."

Piper too had noticed just how drained Leo was and now that her son was safe her concern turned to her husband. "Come on. You need to get some rest, Mister," she said helping Leo to his feet and then walked with him to the stairs. She had forgotten about the door to Magic School but motioned to it. "Is that permanent?"

Chris and her sisters had followed them into the foyer and for the first time Chris noticed the door.

"No, I'll get rid of it later though," Leo answered knowing he wasn't strong enough to vanish it.

Chris frowned really realizing how weak his father was. And it was all because he was protecting him. It struck him as the most profound thing he had ever seen and it touched him to his very soul. "Leo!"

Leo and Piper froze where they were and turned back to him waiting to see what Chris would say.

Chris had always thought it would be so difficult to praise his father for anything but not today, not at this moment. "Thanks, for everything."

Leo gave Chris a large smile. "You're Welcome." And then they turned and headed back upstairs.

* * *

_A/N: Ha, I told you all that Chris would get better. And as you all may have noticed I've started putting Chris' memories in the story again. I realized just how much they made the story in the first few chapters, and even though Leo and the sisters don't see them anymore they can really help Chris to accept his family again so it just seemed like the right thing to do. So does anyone agree with me? Or has my fever just fried my brain?_


	14. Arguments

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Well I have decided just to keep everything balanced I will not put flashbacks in every chapter or at least if I do the chapters need to be on the longer side. I don't want this fic to become just a trip down memory lane, but the memories are a good way to get to know Chris better. So you never know when I'll add a memory, so don't expect one but if there is you can be pleasantly surprised. Okie-Dokey?

* * *

**Chapter 14 Arguments**

Sitting on top of the Golden Gate Bridge, Chris had many things running through his mind and all those things revolved around his family.

He couldn't believe how the last three months had been going. It seemed that ever since their little trip to the Tribunal Chamber, Leo and the sisters had changed their attitude towards him completely. Oh they weren't jumping hoops or anything like that to make him feel comfy but they had seriously been trying to be nice to him at every turn. Piper was constantly trying to feed him. Paige, well Paige was still as sarcastic as ever but she actually acted as if she was fond of him. Phoebe treated him almost the same as before but all of the biting marks were gone and she always asked him how he was feeling. Then there was Leo. Leo was the biggest surprise of them all. He had started spending a lot of his time with Chris, discussing theories on how Wyatt would be turned, and many times had accompanied Chris to the underworld on demon hunts and fact-finding missions. Every time Chris asked what the other Elders would do, Leo would just smile and tell him that they would never know. And it wasn't just his mission that they spoke of. It seemed as if Leo wanted to know as much about Chris as he possibly could. All in all everything seemed strange but also nice in a way.

All of their actions were fine with Chris actually. He was much more comfortable when he was around them now and he often times found himself remembering his own past with them. But then there was the one memory that always ruined it for him, which paralyzed him in terror. And when he'd remember that one he'd pull away and come here to the bridge. It had happened again that morning shortly after breakfast. He wasn't even sure what was said that brought the memory to his head, but it came and he had to quickly excuse himself and escape.

Several times in the past three months he had had the urge to tell one of them who he was and it was growing more and more stronger with each passing day. But then he'd think about how things had been before the Chamber and he'd imagine how angry Piper would be because of his lies. All he could imagine was her telling him that she didn't believe him or worse that she hated him. And if she did, that would be it. He couldn't be anywhere near her again. And he truly did not want the last memory he had of his mother to be of her telling him that she hated him.

But then there was his deeper fear. The fear that she wouldn't hate him. The fear that she would love him and accept him, and then when he went back to his own time and she wasn't there it would kill him. "I'm sorry, Mom. I can't lose you again," he whispered into the wind blowing around him as it blew wisps of his hair into his eyes.

Then he heard the call. "Chris." It was Piper. He ignored it at first. Her voice did not hold a hint of fear in it, so he was sure whatever it was could wait. "Chris! Don't you ignore me young man," she called out in irritation.

Chris rolled his eyes and stood orbing to the Manor. He landed easily in the kitchen and looked around to see if there was anything to worry about. Piper was standing just a few feet from him and he could see the rest of the family sitting at the kitchen table getting ready to eat lunch. Nothing at all looked out of the ordinary. "What's wrong?" he snipped at her.

Piper gave him an innocent look. "Nothing's wrong. We were just about to eat lunch and I wanted to see if you were hungry."

Chris' mouth dropped at her words as he gaped in astonishment. "Have you lost your mind, woman? You called me here for lunch." He hadn't meant to snap at her but he truly had wanted to be left alone for a while longer.

Piper's eyes widened and Leo scowled for a moment. Chris didn't often talk to Piper with that kind of disrespect. "Chris, I don't think that's called for..."

Piper turned to him giving her best 'back off' look. "Stay out of this, Leo. This is between Chris and I." Then she turned back to Chris. "Why shouldn't I call you to ask if you want lunch?"

"There's such a thing as a telephone, Piper. Look there's one right over here on the wall," he said as if talking to a small child and then walked over and pulled the receiver off the wall turning and showing it to her. "If you call P3 and I answer then you can invite me for lunch but if I don't you can't."

"Don't talk to me in that tone of voice, young man," Piper said indignantly. "I did try to call you. There was no answer."

He ignored her first statement. Normally he wouldn't have talked to her like that but she had caught him when he was at his most vulnerable when she called him, and that scared him and made him angry all at the same time. "Well then, maybe that should have given you the clue that I was out. What if I had been in the underworld? What if you had distracted me and it got me into a load of trouble? So if it's not important, don't call."

Piper had heard the horrible tone of his voice but the only thing she had really caught was him mentioning the underworld. "I thought you weren't going down there alone anymore." Her voice had changed from anger to worry in just seconds.

Chris gaped at her statement. "Wha… Piper, since when do you keep tabs on where I go and what I do?"

Piper set her face in determination. "Ever since you and my husband decided to take on a large clan of flesh eating demons. You gave up the right not to have some one watching over you when you did that. Because knowing you, you're probably already trying to find some other demons to kill you as we speak. And I for one am not gonna let you do that." At that moment it didn't matter to her whether she sounded like a mother or not. All she cared about was keeping her son alive and safe.

"Piper, I'm a grown man and haven't needed anyone to watch over me in …" Chris began but was not given the chance to finish.

"I don't care if you are seven or thirty seven, you still need someone to look out for you, young man. So stop arguing with me, sit your ass down at that table and eat a pleasant meal with us." Piper's voice had rose with every word and Chris' face went stark white. For someone who he was trying to convince himself wasn't his mother she sure had sounded like it at that moment. She could see panic in his eyes and reached out grabbing his arm. "Don't you dare orb out on me, Christopher." She had meant the words to be stronger but somewhere in the second when she had feared he would flee her will had broken and she wasn't above begging for him to join them. "Please."

Chris had almost left. In less than a second he would have been gone but something about the pleading quality of her voice stopped him and he knew that if he did leave it would hurt her. Right then he couldn't bear to do that. He wasn't sure why it would hurt her, but he knew it would. Did she really feel that bad about all the times they had been cruel to him before the chamber? Did it really mean that much to her? He concluded that it must have. "All right," he finally answered quietly and then took a seat at the table next to Leo. He didn't look at her but he could feel her eyes on him. If he had only looked up he would have seen tears misting her eyes but he just couldn't look at her right then. Not when she was reminding him so much of his own mother.

Lunch was eaten in veritable silence with the tension between Chris and Piper still being felt by them all. Afterwards Leo asked to talk to Piper alone and they headed upstairs to their bedroom. Leo had asked Chris to keep an eye on Wyatt for a few minutes while they talked, which he agreed to without a fuss. Now that Wyatt was no longer shielding himself from Chris, it was much easier and more enjoyable to care for his brother. Phoebe and Paige had headed up to the attic to restock some of the potions they tried to keep on hand in case of demon attacks.

Chris had been playing with Wyatt in the sunroom when he suddenly heard noises coming from Piper's bedroom, which was right above him. He grabbed Wyatt and wondered up the steps until he was right outside the door but then he realized that the noises were actually two raised voices. Piper and Leo's. He could easily make out the words. "Don't give me that bullshit, Leo," he heard Piper yell angrily.

"Piper, what is the real problem here?" Leo yelled back.

"You, you're being irresponsible. And you are gonna get yourself and Chris killed because of it," she came back angrily.

Chris backed away from the door quickly. This was just way to eerily familiar and he really didn't want to hear it. With that he walked the rest of the way upstairs with Wyatt clasped tightly in his arms.

Once he reached the attic he sat Wyatt on the floor and sat next to him. "Hey, Chris," Phoebe called out and Paige nodded to him in greeting.

"You guys don't mind if we hang out up here do you?" he asked nervously. He really didn't want to be alone downstairs at that moment.

"That's fine, Chris," Phoebe said wondering why he would even ask but going back to what she and Paige were doing without questioning it.

Chris looked down to Wyatt and smiled rubbing his back gently. He could see that Wyatt seemed tense also. He remembered when they were both children together in Chris' other timeline that both of them always seemed to know when their parents were fighting and it upset them more than either would admit to anyone other than each other. Chris' eyes seemed to become unfocused as a memory came to him unbidden.

_Chris woke with a start and looked over to the bed across from his realizing that his brother was not there. That was not a completely unusual event but somehow Chris felt something was very wrong in their home at that moment. So he quickly swung his legs out of the bed with his feet landing on the cold floor. Though the cold did bother him he felt an urge to move quickly and got out of bed creeping quietly to the door and out into the hallway._

_He looked around in the darkened hall and saw Wyatt crouching on the floor next to their parent's bedroom. Chris joined his brother sitting as close as he could and listened to what had drawn his brother from his warm bed. _

_"Don't give me that bullshit, Leo." Mom yelled angrily._

"_Piper, what is the real problem here?" Dad yelled back_.

_"What is the problem? Are you kidding me? Chris was nearly killed today and you didn't even bother to come to help. Are you really that irresponsible? Or does you son just mean nothing to you?" They could hear the half sobs that accompanied their mother's painful words._

"_I don't know, Piper. I just didn't know," Leo answered her in a pleading voice. "I never hear him."_

"_You never hear him, or you don't want to?" her voice was so low that they almost hadn't heard it. And Chris had wished that he hadn't. Did his father not want to save him? Would he rather he died? Chris stood quickly not waiting to hear the answer as he ran quickly back to his bedroom throwing himself on his own bed burying his head in the pillows and blankets letting several years of pain and anger pour into his pillow, which drowned out the sobs._

_Wyatt had followed him and Chris felt him sit on the bed beside him and lay one hand on his shoulder. Eventually Chris was able to pull his face from the pillow and Wyatt could see the pain in his brother's eyes and could feel it like it was his own. "Chris…" Wyatt wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't deny what they heard. He knew how his father treated Chris and had wondered many times if Leo would have been happier without Chris in the family. _

_Chris just shook his head. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear that his father hated him. He didn't want to hear that he would prefer him dead. But most of all he didn't want Wyatt to lie to him to spare his feelings. He finally sat up and leaned back against the wall. He knew he wouldn't sleep anymore that night. _

_Wyatt understood that Chris didn't want to talk but he wasn't gonna leave him alone so he moved next to Chris leaning against the wall and wrapped one arm around his younger brother pulling his head down so it rested on his shoulder. The only thing he knew he had to say came out very quietly. "I'll never let you down, Bro. I promise."_

_But he had, hadn't he?_

"Chris, hey Chris. Are you there?" Paige asked standing right next to the witch. She had asked him something but he wasn't sure what.

"I'm sorry, Paige. What did you say?" he asked in embarrassment at being caught woolgathering.

"I said that it looked like you were lost there," she answered ruffling his hair.

Chris pulled away from the offending appendage and shook his head. "Just memories," he said with a sad look on his face.

Paige and Phoebe could both see the way those memories were affecting him. "You know, we are good at listening," Phoebe suggested. She could see the amused look he gave her and rushed on to explain further. "I know you can't tell us a lot but if there is anything you can and feel it would help you to share, we'd be glad to listen."

Chris knew he shouldn't be surprised that Phoebe wanted to help him emotionally. She was a very caring person and an Empath on top of it. He knew he should just stick to his whole future consequences idea but still… "Piper and Leo are fighting," he finally said.

Phoebe and Paige both looked at him wide eyed. "How do you know?" Paige asked carefully.

"I heard them on my way up here." He took their shock to mean that they thought he had no business butting into it and quickly added. "It just reminds me of my own parents from my timeline. They fought a lot. Most of the time about me," he explained sadly picking Wyatt up and holding him tight. "I think Wyatt can sense it too, though and it worries me."

The sisters for the first time noticed the sad look on their littlest nephew's face. He normally played happily but instead he seemed not to care to play at all right then as he wrapped his arms around Chris seeking comfort.

Phoebe was astonished by the link she could already see between the two brothers, but it was so sad that they had to share something that was very painful to the both of them in this way. She quickly crossed to kneel next to both of them. Chris thought she would take Wyatt from him but was surprised when she wrapped her arms around both of them. "I'm sorry. I know how hard this must be on both of you," she whispered.

Paige had noticed in the last couple of months things had been getting pretty tense between her sister and Leo but she didn't know it was to the point where they were fighting. "So what do we do about it?"

"What do you mean, do about it?" Chris asked uneasily accepting Phoebe's hug but not pushing her away. She always was the overly affectionate type.

"Well, I for one don't like to see them fighting. So what do we do?" Paige explained as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"What can we do?" Phoebe asked letting go of the boys but sitting on the floor next to them anyway.

"Listen you guys, it's probably nothing. I'm just overreacting. We need to just leave them alone and let them handle it themselves." Chris had never meant for them to try to do anything. He wasn't even really sure why he had told them. He had just wanted to share some of the pain with someone who could understand and wasn't a small child. But he also knew how angry Piper would get if they interfered.

Paige scowled slightly but decided to let it go, at least for now. "Okay. Anyway, I have to get to my temp job. Just try to keep your chin up. Things will get better."

"Yeah, I have to go downstairs and make some phone calls. You guys be okay up here by yourselves?" Phoebe asked in concern. She hated to leave them alone when they both were so very sad but she knew there was nothing she could really do to help them, right then.

"Yeah, well be fine," Chris answered. '_We always are_,' he added silently to himself.

After they left Chris looked down to his brother in affection. "Looks like it's just you and me again, kiddo."

But they were not alone. Piper had stepped into the attic looking for her sisters but instead saw her sons sitting on the floor together. Her heart nearly wanted to bust when she saw the loving way that Chris held his brother. A part of her had worried that Chris wouldn't be able to show affection for this younger version of his brother because of the evil he would someday become. But her fears were apparently unfounded. "Can I play too?" she asked interrupting the precious moment.

Chris' head swung around at her voice but it was hard to disguise the sadness he had been feeling and it shown through his eyes instantly sending panic through her. Piper wanted to immediately question him as to what had disturbed him so but she knew that was something that he would see as an intrusion so instead she went over and kneeled on the floor next to them. She reached out stroking Wyatt's blonde curls. Once he realized that mommy was there he turned in Chris' arms but did not offer to leave his lap. "How's my big boy?" she asked him a smile playing across her lips.

Wyatt looked up to her questioningly but didn't say a word or even offer a sound.

"Not talking today, I guess," she said slightly sad herself. Wyatt sometimes would clam up around them and she often wondered what was going through his head. She looked around the attic then. "Where did my sister's get off to?"

Chris finally opened his mouth knowing she would expect an answer. "Paige went to work and Phoebe is downstairs making phone calls."

Piper nodded and looked down at Wyatt again. She somehow felt like she couldn't look Chris in the eye. "Is everything okay, Piper?" He asked seeing her uncharacteristic behavior.

She finally looked up at him and gave him a sad smile. "Yeah, Chris. It's fine," she lied rather ineffectively. "Listen, I need to go to the club for a bit. I know this is asking a lot but could you stay here and keep an eye on Wyatt for a bit?"

Chris could see through her lie but wasn't sure what to make of it. "Where's Leo?" he asked hesitantly.

Piper flinched slightly at the name and Chris got a very bad feeling. "He went to talk to Gideon at Magic School," she answered. "If you don't have the time, don't worry about it. I can always take Wyatt with me."

"No, no. I don't mind watching him," Chris assured her. It had been a long time since he had seen his mom acting this way and he remembered it well. She was hurting badly but she was trying to be brave so no one would see. How had this happened he wondered? Three months before he was sure they were getting everything straightened out and now it was as if they were his parents from his past all over again. Fighting and hurting each other at every turn.

"Thanks, Chris," she said and then leaned in giving Wyatt a kiss on the forehead. She stood then and headed to the attic door, but she turned one last time to see her sons together. He could see that there were tears at the corners of her eyes. She gave him a smile and then turned and left.

Chris sat dumbly for a minute just looking at where she had stood. He wasn't sure what exactly had happened between them but he did know that he somehow had to fix it. He couldn't bear to see his mother like that. "Come on, Wy. We have to fix mommy and daddy," he whispered to his brother.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, I know. Bad cliffie this time. Anyone know what they are gonna do? Anyone want to guess?_


	15. Fixing Them

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Okay little explanation since someone asked me about it. The spell that was cast on Phoebe only keeps her from telling Chris' secret, not from knowing it. She remembers everything they learned in the chamber. Her lips are just sealed on the subject until Chris reveals it himself. Poor girl must be ready to bust by now.

* * *

**Chapter 15 Fixing Them**

_Chris sat dumbly for a minute just looking at where she had stood. He wasn't sure what exactly had happened between them but he did know that he somehow had to fix it. He couldn't bear to see his mother like that. "Come on, Wy. We have to fix mommy and daddy," he whispered to his brother._

With that Chris stood and moved to the table in the middle of the room and sat with Wyatt on his lap. He took a piece of paper and pen into hand and then started to scribble until he had exactly what he wanted. It took several failed attempts and a good half hour before he had something that he thought would work.

"What do you think, Wy?" Chris asked looking down to his brother showing him the paper. Wyatt just giggled at his brother. "Okay, okay. I know, but what do you expect with such short notice?"

Wyatt giggled again and Chris just rolled his eyes that time. "Now, we need to check on Piper to make sure she's not talking to anyone. That might be a little inconvenient for her." Chris immediately orbed to P3 and into his own room still holding Wyatt. He set his brother down on the couch and went to the door peaking out into the nightclub. He could see Piper sitting alone at the bar pouring over some ledgers and there was no one else in sight. Perfect timing. Piper had said that Leo was at Magic School. He'd just have to take the chance that no one would notice his absence.

So he gently closed the door again and read the spell.

_I call on the entire Halliwell line  
__To help me in this place and time_

_Take Piper and Leo from this place  
__So that they may come face to face_

_Where in paradise they may find  
__A little peace of mind_

_Alone together out of space and time  
__There they may see the signs_

_To repair the pain inside  
__Only then may they return from where they hide

* * *

_Piper knew that the books could have waited. She normally wouldn't have been working on them until the end of the week but she had needed to get away. To get away from her family. She loved them dearly but anymore every time she had to look at her sons the pain would overwhelm her. The pain she felt at knowing that someday her oldest would become the ruler of all evil and her youngest would suffer so much because of it. And because of her and his father she reminded herself.

How had Chris ever survived it all? And how could he have went all those months hiding his secrets from them enduring so much pain an rejection? In just the three months that she had been forced to keep it to herself she had realized just how painful it must be for him, because of all of the pain it was causing her to not be able to show the love she felt for him. She at least didn't have someone treating her like dirt and sniping at her every action like he had had to endure. How had he dealt with it? She really wished she knew, because she wasn't sure just how much more of this she could take.

She sighed deeply looking down to the ledger she was working in. She hadn't actually gotten anything accomplished yet. She placed her pencil into the next column but suddenly the numbers before her started to blur and then everything around her seemed to fade into nothingness.

She blinked several times trying to comprehend what she was seeing around her. "What the hell…"

* * *

Leo had had a very unproductive chat with Gideon. He had gone to his friend and mentor in the hopes of an objective voice but once he started talking he hadn't been able to say much. He knew the only way to explain his problem sufficiently to the Elder would be to disclose Chris' secret, which he was unable to do. Not even to Gideon. He had always trusted Gideon with everything but this was not his secret to share. 

Then Gideon had started in on him about the time he was spending on earth. He had said that the other Elders were becoming anxious about it. Leo was, after all, risking them too. Leo understood that his actions affected the other Elders also but still he would not dissert his family especially not while Chris was still unable to open up to them and there was still the threat to Wyatt out there somewhere.

He had found himself walking alone through the halls of Magic School just thinking of everything that was happening in his life. Piper was becoming harder and harder to deal with as time went by. She seemed to be blaming him for something but he had yet to figure out exactly what it was. He had wondered if maybe she was beginning to blame him for what his future self had done to their son but that just didn't seem like something she would do. And several times she had assured him that there was no blame to be placed. He hadn't done those things yet and there was no way he would as far as he was concerned. But still… what else could have her this angry for no apparent reason?

He was lost in thought when suddenly the hall surrounding him seemed to dim and then brighten considerable and where there had been tile floor below his feet but a moment before there was now an endless sea of white sand. He looked up in shock and then all around him. He frowned in confusion as he heard the sounds of ocean waves smashing together to his left and looked out onto a vast expanse of water.

"Leo, what the hell have you done now?" he heard from behind him and turned to see Piper standing with her arms crossed across her chest a very angry look covering her face.

He shook his head in confusion as he answered her. "I didn't do anything. Where are we?"

Piper's eyes widened in slight disbelief. "You didn't bring us here?"

"I don't know where here is, Piper." He looked around again and could see a veritable jungle further inland with what looked like a bungalow tucked in next to the trees. It seemed like an island paradise from a vacation catalogue.

Piper strode forward and grabbed his arm. "Orb us out," she commanded still on the angry side.

Leo scowled slightly but attempted to comply. But nothing happened. He tried again concentrating harder, but still nothing. "I can't. Something is blocking me."

"Well isn't that just peachy?" Piper said sarcastically letting go of Leo's arm then started walking towards the bungalow up ahead.

"Where are you going? That might be some kind of trap," Leo called out in worry.

"If it is I pity the demon who set it," she called back to him trudging ahead through the sand.

"Me too," Leo whispered following her grudgingly. He had faced Piper's wrath way too many times not to realize just how much trouble whomever was responsible for them being there, was in.

Piper waited for him once she reached the bungalow door and then they walked in together. Looking around it seemed just like a normal vacation bungalow with all the immunities of a five star resort. "Okay, no demon. So what the heck is going on here?" Piper asked in confusion.

Leo just shrugged. But as he was doing so a figure that neither of them had seen in quite some time appeared sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'm offended that my own sister would think I was a demon."

Piper's eyes became saucers and her mouth dropped open in utter surprise. Leo, who had more experience with the Astral Plane wasn't quite as surprised. "But I thought they said it was too early for you to cross over, Prue?"

* * *

Chris took Wyatt and orbed back to the Manor just in time to see Phoebe walk into the attic. She looked at him in surprise. "Did you just orb in?" 

"Yeah, I needed to check on something at P3, so Wyatt and I took a little trip. We weren't gone long?" he told a half-truth nervously, hoping that Phoebe wouldn't catch him in it.

"Did you see Piper there? I'm still worried about her," Phoebe confessed not even noticing the slight fidgeting that Chris was doing.

"She was busy. I didn't want to bother her," he again stretched the truth as he walked over and placed Wyatt in his playpen. He could see that the little tyke was getting sleepy, so he orbed a pillow and blanket into the pen and helped Wyatt get comfortable.

Phoebe just nodded and walked over to the table where she and Paige had been busy earlier making potions. She noticed one thing out of place. "Oh no, Paige left her organizer here," she said lifting it up. She knew that Paige took it with her everywhere except on demon hunts. But she froze her eyes taking on a faraway look as a premonition hit her.

_"You know, I like magic. I really enjoy it, but does ever temp job I get have to end up with me being almost killed?" Paige called out popping up from behind what looked like a boulder and tossing a potion vial at a demon across the room. The potion vial exploded at the demon's feet but seemed to have no affect whatsoever._

"_Is that the best you brought, Witchlighter? If so you are never gonna make it out of here," the demon called out moving closer to her. "You can not orb from this chamber. And the only way out is through me. And even if you do get out the door you'll have to make it through the maze of chambers beyond, all of which are orb proof." With that the demon cackled in glee knowing he had her right where he wanted her. He finally had the opportunity to rid the world of one of the Charmed Ones. If he could pull it off he'd be famous among his demon peers._

_Paige pulled the final vial of potion she had left out, knowing it was the strongest she carried, and tossed it at the upper level demon. In delight she noticed the demon start to smoke, but decided it was no time to gloat as she ran past him but stopped at the door when she heard his laughter again. She turned to see that the potion had singed him a bit but not enough to cause any real damage. But she wasn't about to stick around and see what he'd do next. So she ran with all her might into the maze of chambers beyond hoping to outrun the demon. _

Phoebe sucked in a huge gulping breath as she was pulled from the premonition. Chris had moved over closer to her and had a look of concern on his face. "What did you see, Pheebs?"

"Paige. She's in the underworld and she's in trouble," she said in a terrified daze. "Demon."

"Was it the future or now, Phoebe?" Chris asked worry shrouding his features. When she didn't answer he took her arm and shook it slightly. "Phoebe, focus. Future or now?"

She shook her head clearing the cobwebs from her mind and stalked over to the Book of Shadows. "Now I think," she said in fear. "It was an upper level demon."

"Okay, you check the book and I'll go check with one of my contacts. See if he knows if anything big is going on down there today," Chris said in a tone that was all business. But the worried look on his aunt's face softened his heart slightly. "Pheebs, we'll get her back, I promise," he added before orbing out.

Phoebe looked to where her nephew had been standing and smiled just slightly. For some reason she believed him. Something about the way he said it made her sure that he'd never give up until they did just that, or died trying. At one point she and Paige had both told Chris that Leo had a way of instilling confidence in them that they often lacked themselves. She wondered at just what point Chris had adopted that same ability. It was comforting.

* * *

_A/N: Okay anyone who is gaping close your mouths. Yes I did bring Prue into this. No she will not figure prominently though. Sorry. And yes I did just put Paige in some serious danger. And you will all get to find out where Chris sent his parents in the next chapter. It might not exactly be where you think it is._


	16. Personal Gain

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N**: My I knew Prue was a favorite of most but I didn't expect such a reaction to her being in two lines of the last chapter. As a warning though. This will be the only other chapter you will see her in, unless some wild plot bunny bites me. And yes, I know, Chris did a really big no no with the spell, personal gain and all. But I honestly see it as something Chris would do since he is doing it for his folks not himself. Well at least that's the way I'd see him justifying it to himself. But we all know how that works out and now look at the situation they are in.

* * *

**Chapter 16 Personal Gain**

"Technically, you are right, Leo. I'm not allowed to cross over. But since we aren't on the Earthly Plane right now I don't see how I can get into trouble over this one," Prue answered as if the fact that she was dead was no big deal.

Piper looked to Leo in confusion. "Did we die and I just don't remember it? Wait you're an Elder. Can you even die?"

"No, Piper, I am not dead, well anymore than an Elder already is, and neither are you, but we are in the Astral Plane, aren't we?" he asked Prue thinking he had figured out what was happening.

Prue smiled at that. She knew this one would be a shocker to the two. "Actually, no you are not."

Piper was actually really thrilled to see her sister. It had been such a long time and she would have loved to have just taken advantage of wherever they were to spend time with her but for some reason she felt a sense of urgency concerning where they were and why they were there. "Okay, I've already had a bad day, so just cut to the chase, woman, and tell us where the hell we are and why we are here?"

Prue looked slightly astonished by her sister's words. "Well good for you. You finally lost the whole Pollyanna thing. I was wondering if I had rubbed off on you at all." She could see the angry glare she was receiving for that. "All right, all right. This place is actually a pocket realm of sorts in between the Astral Plane and the Earthly Plane."

"Wait, pocket realm, didn't you and the sisters get caught in one of those several months ago? Something about the Demon of Desires. It nearly killed you all," Leo hadn't been able to help them out of that one but Chris had luckily been there to help them and it had nearly cost him his life.

Piper nodded remembering the occasion well. "So are we in danger, here? And how did you get here and are you really Prue?" Again the suspicion was blooming.

"Is she really this suspicious all the time now?" Prue asked Leo. He just nodded in reply.

"Okay, I don't think you are in danger, considering who created this realm and why. Even though he may be once you get back. And I am actually not really here. This is just a projection of myself. None of us ghosts were allowed to enter but we thought you would need some explanation once you arrived. So since I had the power of Astral Projection I was elected. And that should answer your last question right there." Prue was sure that wasn't the last of their questions so she waited patiently for them to go on.

Leo decided to ask the next question. "Who put us here and why?"

Prue smiled knowing that question was next and since she had questions of her own concerning it she was glad it was so. "Yeah, see that's what I don't understand. Not the why. It was obvious. You two are fighting and are very soon gonna lose each other if you keep on the track you are on."

Piper interrupted her then, "How do you know we are fighting?"

"Mom is keeping track of you. Well when she can. She's confused about a lot of what's going on but she has seen you fight and says it reminds her of her and dad. That's not a good sign at all," Prue explained then went on with the rest of the answer. "Now the who is what surprises me. It takes an immense amount of magical energy to create one of these, unless you are like that demon who fed on your desires. But for a normal witch to create one of these it would take more magic than they could possess on their own. It would take Halliwell magic. So that leads me to the question, how did your Witchlighter call on the magic of the Halliwell line to create this?" With that question she motioned to the world around them.

Piper and Leo both gaped at that question and Piper quickly turned to Leo. "Chris sent us here!"

"Oh god, he must have heard us fighting earlier. What must he have been thinking?" Leo remembered the words from Chris' memory on the day of the sister's funeral. Wyatt had said that he and Piper fought all the time in Chris' past. What in the world had hearing them fighting again done to him? Surely it had frightened him enough to write a spell that would be considered to be personal gain. "He was watching past repeat itself."

All the color drained from Piper's face. "No wonder he looked so sad when I left to go to P3. Even Wyatt seemed off. Why didn't I see it? How could I let them down again?"

Prue had been listening to their conversation and was becoming completely confused. The only things she had learned about the Witchlighter was what her Grams had said after her last trip into the Earthly Plane. According to her he was a sarcastic, half-witch, half-whitelighter from the future who drove Leo and the sisters crazy with his whole mantra about future consequences. Honestly Prue had found the story rather entertaining and wished that she could have met the young witch. But none of it pointed to any connection to them. So what was he hiding she wondered. "You two are gonna have to slow down and tell me what the heck you are talking about. At least give me the cliffs notes version."

Piper and Leo looked to each other and realized just how much they had just revealed. They both clammed up immediately. At least the last three months had taught them something about keeping a secret. Piper finally decided what to say. "Prue, I love you with all my heart and would trust you with any secret that was my own to keep, but this time I just can't. It's not my secret and I don't want to hurt someone who means the world to me, just because I may want another shoulder to cry on."

Prue frowned in concentration as the wheels turned in her head. A secret. Chris. Someone who meant the world to Piper and apparently Leo. Chris' use of Halliwell magic and she knew he was from the future. Her eyes widened slightly as she connected the clues in her mind. She smiled brightly nodding. "You know I was very surprised when Grams said you had a son instead of a daughter after Wyatt's Wiccaning, but maybe that trait was just supposed to run in your side of the family." She could see the reaction this brought and knew her suspicion was confirmed. "Anyhow, Chris sent you here to try to repair the rift between the two of you and I'm afraid that is the only way that you will be able to leave. That boy knows how to word a full proof spell, that's for sure." There was a hint of pride in the words that was unmistakable.

Neither Piper nor Leo wanted to comment on the spell their son had apparently written. It had personal gain written all over it and neither of them were too pleased about that fact or what might happen because of it.

"Oh, come on, you two. You are in paradise and as soon as I leave you will be completely alone. Take advantage of it," Prue suggested amazed that neither of them seemed pleased by the event. Again they said nothing. "Anyhow, you know the score and I'm gone."

"Wait, Prue," Piper called as her sister's projection disappeared. "I didn't even get to ask her how she was," Piper said softly feeling like she'd missed one heck of an opportunity.

"I think she's fine, Piper," Leo said trying to sound comforting. "She's a lot like she was when she was alive. That's good to see."

"Yes, yes it is," she said smiling sadly.

Leo looked at her and realized what they had to do if they were ever to go back home. "Piper, we have to talk."

Piper's eyes closed for a second and she took a deep breath. "I know."

* * *

It had taken Chris a little longer than usual to find his contact in the underworld, which in itself seemed strange but once he did find him he was determined to get information.

"What's going on down here today, Danx?" Chris asked standing almost too close for the demon's comfort.

"Nothing unusual, boss," Danx answered nervously. He had been supplying the Witchlighter with information for months now and it seemed to be the only thing that kept him alive, otherwise he or the Charmed Ones would have destroyed him easily. He was just a minor low level demon but he was very good at finding information.

Chris leaned into the demon that was backed against the wall and held up his right hand starting to make a fist. With that Danx began to choke and his eyes went wild with fear. "Now, Danx, we have had a very good relationship until now. Are you gonna ruin that?"

Danx shook his head violently and Chris let up on the choking grip. "There was one thing. I had just forgot about it."

Chris smiled nodding to the demon. "Spill it, Danx."

"Someone mentioned some action going on in the mazes under the City Museum. But I never caught what it was. Just that it involved an upper level demon who was looking to make a name for himself." Danx was petrified of the demon he spoke of but he was even more petrified of the witch before him and his current fear outweighed anything that might come from his information trade.

"You better not be lying to me, Danx. You won't like the results," Chris warned backing away to let his informant slink away.

He knew the mazes that Danx had spoken of and he also knew they were a no orb zone. It would be the perfect place to trap Paige. Part of him wanted to head over there by himself and try to save her, but then the part that actually thought logically decided that finding out what he was up against would be the wiser action. Being wise did not make him very happy at the moment though as he swung out in anger attempting to tk a boulder into the wall. He was surprised though when the boulder stayed right where it was. "What…"

He stared down to his hand then and saw something that honestly scared the life out of him. His entire hand was partially invisible as if it was fading out of existence. "Oh no. No this can't be. It's too soon, isn't it?"

But apparently it wasn't. Chris immediately shoved his hand into his jeans pocket and orbed back to the Manor.

"I'm glad you are back, Chris. I found the demon," Phoebe called out in triumph as she read from the book. "His name's Tarleq. He's an upper level demon and he lives in…" she started to say but was interrupted.

"In a set of orb proof mazes in the underworld," Chris finished for her.

Phoebe looked up to Chris and saw that his hands were tucked into his jeans pockets but didn't comment on it. "And do you know where these mazes are?"

Chris nodded. "I've never been in them. They are supposed to be littered with traps to keep unwanted guests out and prey in."

"Well, we'll just have to brave the traps," Phoebe commented looking down to the Book. "And there is a potion here and a spell, but it's a Power of Three spell. You'll have to orb over and get Piper. Oh, Piper. We forgot to tell her. She's gonna be pissed."

Chris swallowed hard at her words. He was afraid of that. He sighed hard and shook his head. '_Screw up one million and one,_' he thought bitterly to himself. "I can't go get Piper."

Phoebe looked up at that and a frown lined her face. "Why not?"

Chris shrugged slightly, still with his hands in his pockets. "Before you get angry with me… Let me just say that I had Piper and Leo's best interests in mind." He hadn't thought about how his aunts would take his little attempt to help his parents. But now thinking about it he wondered exactly what he was thinking. Of course they'd be pissed.

"Chris, what did you do?" Phoebe asked coming out from behind the podium and walking towards her nephew.

Chris backed away slightly. "I just cast a little spell."

Phoebe's eyes widened and she for once in her life got to yell at someone else on this subject. "Chris, yoo-hoo, personal gain ring any bells? What kind of spell did you cast?" It actually felt good for a change to not be the one getting this lecture.

Chris flinched at the berating tone but continued to explain. "It was just a little spell to send them to a place where they could work out their differences. I'm sorry Phoebe. At the time personal gain was the last of my thoughts. I just didn't want to see them end up the way they... my parents ended up." He almost didn't catch the slip up that time but it was hard to keep it all straight in his mind when he had been getting closer and closer to all of them over the past few months.

Phoebe wanted to both hug her nephew for caring so much for his parents and ring his neck for doing something so crazy. You just didn't fool around with personal gain. They had learned that the hard way. "Chris, where did you send them and how do we get them back?" she finally settled on her voice calm which actually surprised Chris.

"Never mind where I sent them. It's not all that important other then the fact that they are safe. But the only way I know for them to get back is to work out their differences. It's the way I worded the spell." Chris was beginning to regret his own apparently fool proof way to fix his parents problems. It had personal gain written all over it and what if that was the whole reason Paige had been taken by a demon that required a Power of Three spell to vanquish. Maybe it was punishment for his meddling. If that was true Paige might just die because of him. And that was something he couldn't live with twice in his life. The first time they had died had been hard enough without him turning around and causing it to happen even sooner this time. And on top of that what would happen to thier whole future if the Charmed Ones were seperated this early? That would be horrible for the entire world.

* * *

Paige couldn't understand where it had all went wrong. She had went to her newest temp job, which she had to admit wasn't that great a job. She had been a housekeeper in a five star hotel. Not too horrible if you could stand cleaning toilets. She was sure that her magical problem would have to turn up in one of the rooms she was supposed to clean and was working her way through the hall she was assigned to. That's when things had gotten confusing. She went into one of the rooms and was grabbed from behind by a demon who immediately shimmered them to the underworld.

Now she was fighting for her life and trying to find a way through a maze of caverns. It hadn't taken her long to run across the first trap as at one point in the tunnel the floor had just vanished from below her feet. She had been lucky that she was moving so fast or she wouldn't have been able to grab onto a rock jutting out next to the large gaping hole. She pulled herself free of the hole and it immediately shimmered back to the solid ground she had stepped onto before. "You know, I'm as big an Indiana Jones fan as the next girl but this is just ridiculous."

She picked herself up and moved ahead in the tunnel, a little bit more on the cautious side. She really didn't want to run into anything she couldn't handle. But it was not too long before she turned a corner to see an amazing sight. "Now how the hell did he do that?" She was staring at two stone pillars made of an obsidian crystal, one on each side of the tunnel. And between the crystals she could see three sets of energy balls flowing back and forth from pillar to pillar. There was about three feet in between each set of flying energy balls and they were going off at intervals.

She watched carefully and eventually could see the pattern they formed and could also see her chance if she could time it right. What she wouldn't give right then to have Phoebe's martial arts reflexes and ability to levitate, but she'd just have to deal with what she had.

"Are you stuck already, witch? And just on the second obstacle. I really had more faith in you than that," she heard booming through the tunnels.

"Oh yeah, just what I need. A little bit of pressure to make sure I really screw this up," she called out but as her words died she took the plunge and dove through the middle of the energy balls just before another set streaked across the opening.

She landed on the other side with a thud and sat up stiffly staring back at the trap. "That was way too close."

* * *

_A/N: Aren't they all having so much fun? What did you think? I really did not intend the conversation with Prue to last so long but it just sort of wrote itself and it was fun for Prue to see just how much Piper was becoming like her._


	17. Angels and Existence

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** You know, I said that Prue would only be in the last chapter but she actually managed to bite her way into this one too. How did she manage that? What did I say about plot bunnies? They certainly are rabid. But I'm pretty sure this is the last one for her.

* * *

**Chapter 17 Angels and Existence**

Piper took a seat on the bed and waited for Leo to join her. It was a true wake up call to her to realize that things had gotten so far out of hand that Chris would risk so much to heal the rift between his parents. Then that thought struck her like a ton of bricks. "He must really love us even after everything we've done to him and all the pain he's went through. He had to have known that there would be risks in casting that spell."

"Piper, you raised him right, well at least your future self did. He owes that gentle heart and loving soul to you and no one else." It was painful for Leo to admit that he had had no part in shaping the good man that his son would some day become but he had to give credit where credit was do.

"If that is true then why do I feel so guilty and angry at myself?" she whispered sadly.

Leo looked at her and he frowned at that statement. He had thought that Piper was holding up pretty well considering what they were going through. "What do you have to feel guilty for?"

Piper looked down at her hands resting in her lap, unable to face Leo. "Because I'm jealous." There it was said, and wasn't admitting it half the battle? Leo still looked on her in confusion as she glanced up at him so she continued on. "I'm jealous of the bond you and he are forming. You two spend so much time together and I can tell that he is happy with you. And I know that should make me the happiest woman in the world to finally see my son happy after all the pain he's endured. But it hurts knowing that he doesn't want that kind of bond with me. He pushes me away so often. And I understand why he pushes me away. I really do. My death in the future has has hurt him more than most people can imagine. I know how he feels though. The few times that I've seen mom since her death have been very rough on me. I always know that I'll eventually have to let her go and Chris is in the same situation."

Leo hadn't considered how Piper was feeling. He had taken Chris' feelings into consideration and he had reveled in the fact that Chris actually enjoyed being with him. But wasn't Piper being left out? "I'm sorry, Piper. I had no idea how you were feeling. You just kept yelling at me for doing things that were dangerous with our son and I couldn't understand why you would be that way. I just assumed that you knew I'd protect him, no matter what. It never dawned on me how much you were being left out."

"That's the whole point, Leo. I do know that you'd protect Chris with your dying breath if you had to. And I do know how much you love him and how being with you like this is so good for him. How it's healing him. I know all of those things and I'm being petty and belligerent because I can't have my turn with him. Why am I being so childish about this?" Piper felt ashamed of her own feelings. Chris deserved better than that. He deserved a mom who would be happy for him; no matter how much pain it cost her to do so. She wasn't sure when she had started crying but the tears were streaming down her cheeks and she tried in vain to wipe them away, only to be replaced by more.

"Oh, Piper, it's not childish to love your child and want him to show you affection back," Leo said pulling her into his arms. "You are in so much pain and it's clouding your emotions. I understand that and Chris would too. He'd understand that easier than any of us, Piper." Leo knew what she needed to hear and he made a decision that he wasn't sure would be well received but it was time. "I promise you, Piper, somehow before Chris has to go back to his time, you will hear him call you mom and see that loving look you so richly deserve in his eyes."

Piper looked up to her husband and she could see the determination in his features and nothing in the world could have convinced her that he wouldn't keep that promise. And at that moment he was offering her, her hearts one true desire. "Thank you, Leo," she whispered wrapping her arms more firmly around him and reaching up to brush a soft kiss upon his lips.

* * *

"Well then, Mister. You are gonna figure out a way to reword the spell and bring them back," Phoebe said taking charge. After all she was the oldest sister in the current situation if not the only one. "And I'm gonna start making this potion. It looks pretty complicated actually and will probably take some time."

Chris nodded in relief. "Maybe by the time it's done Piper and Leo will have come back on their own."

Phoebe looked at him skeptically. "Work on the spell, Chris," she commanded.

He sighed in defeat and nodded. "I'm gonna go downstairs and work on this. I need to concentrate if I'm gonna get it just right."

Phoebe just nodded as he orbed to the family room and plopped down on the couch pulling his right hand from his jeans pocket. He stared at his hand, which had for the most part vanished by then. He really wasn't feeling well by then either. He felt disconnected but he wasn't sure what he was disconnected from. He had figured out what was going on at least, but why he hadn't thought about it beforehand just didn't make sense. Maybe the fact that he had thought that Piper and Leo were doing so well together had led him to believe that his own conception was a sure thing. But he should have known that nothing was a sure thing when it came to magic or magical beings.

So what to do? He couldn't risk Paige's life to secure his own. That would be wrong, very wrong. But if he wrote the spell and brought them back early he might never be conceived. Well at least for now he could go ahead and write the spell so it would be ready when the potion was. And if he was still fading when his parents got back well he'd deal with that then.

So how to write with a fading hand. Well maybe you didn't he decided as he tried to pick up the pencil with his non-existent hand. Okay, write left-handed. That would work.

He worked on the spell for almost as long as it had taken him to write the original but soon the pencil started to drop from his left hand too and he could no longer hold it. Both hands were almost completely invisible then and it had crept up his arms all the way to his shoulders. This wasn't working at all. He knew he'd need help if he was to finish this. So he tried to orb back to the attic but orbing wasn't happening either. "Oh, not fair," he said angrily walking towards the stairs but was frozen at the sight before him.

It was a person he had only ever seen in pictures but one he was very familiar with. The person he had inherited his powers from. "Hi, Christopher, I guess you know who I am, but if not I'm your aunt Prue," she said leaning against the banister at the bottom of the steps.

Chris' eyes bulged in utter fear. "I'm sorry, I think I misunderstood you," he said his voice trembling.

"No, you didn't, and don't worry, I have no need to tell anyone who you really are." It wasn't a complete lie. She didn't have a need to tell them because they already knew, but at least it would work to relax Chris somewhat.

Chris sighed visibly. But then his mind was working a mile a minute. "But what are you doing here? Mom told me that you were never allowed to cross over till long after I was born."

Prue gained a look of sadness on her face. "This is a special case, Chris."

Chris' brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I found out what was happening to you. See, I'm friends with a certain Angel who's list you ended up on." She couldn't say the word and hoped that Chris realized of whom she was speaking of.

Chris seemed to think for a minute of what Angel would have a list then his mouth gaped open. "Death sent you!"

"I'm sorry, Chris. But unless your parents reconcile and come back to this plane it will be too late for you." Prue hated to have to do this, but when she had went looking into the situation and discovered that Chris was dieing or ceasing to exist more like it, well she couldn't let him be taken by Death. That was so impersonal and she remembered how hard it had been to go with him. She didn't want that for her nephew. She wanted him to have a loving presence with him at the end even if it was one he had never met before.

"Do I have any chance at all?" he asked his voice becoming husky with the words. He wasn't ready for this. He had so much left to do. His mission was nowhere near complete and the idea of failing Wyatt and the rest of his family was just too much to take. He couldn't be a failure again.

"I did send a projection to speak to your parents. Sort of gave them a heads up on what to do to get out of there. I'm hoping they took my advice." She knew it wasn't much but maybe it would be enough to save him.

"You didn't say anything about me to them, did you?" he asked in concern.

Always trying to protect that secret she thought to herself but she had to allay his fears. "I didn't know who you were then, Chris."

He nodded in relief. Well that was something. If he did have to cease to exist at least they wouldn't be blaming themselves for it if they didn't know he was theirs to begin with. Maybe they'd just figure that he somehow got pulled back into his own timeline.

"It isn't time yet, Chris. We have a little time left. But I wanted to talk to you first. Prepare you, just in case. Now where were you heading?" she asked smiling confidently at him.

"I need to finish this spell to bring them back so we can go save Paige. But I can't write anymore. So I was gonna have Phoebe help me with it. I just don't know how to explain me being halfway invisible," he explained unsure of what to say.

"I'm sure you'll think of something. I'll go with you though." She could see the strange look on his face. "Oh, no one can see me except you. It was part of the deal I made with Death to be allowed to do this."

Chris understood then. So he, halfway transparent and she, completely transparent walked side by side up the stairs and into the attic. Once they got there Prue stood back near the doorway watching the scene play out. "Wow, Phoebe looks great," she commented and Chris was startled until he realized that only he could hear her.

"Um, Phoebe, I need a little help with this spell," he said nervously.

"Oh, Chris, quit stalling. I know you are hoping that Piper and Leo will come back on their own but we can't rely on that." She was measuring out a potion ingredient as she spoke and dropped it into the cauldron. Then she looked up and blinked a few times at her nephew. "Okay, that's a new look for you."

Chris smirked and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it's all the rage. Before you ask, I'm not so sure what's happening but I can't pick up the pencil anymore. I need you to write the spell down for me."

"Chris, um I'd really like to figure out what's happening to you before we work on that spell," Phoebe suggested in worry.

"Listen, Phoebe, I'm still here. We'll worry about that afterwards. You need to concentrate on your sisters. We need to get Piper back here and then you two can go save Paige. After that, we'll worry about me." He knew he sounded harsh but he had to get her focused.

"You don't have that much time, Chris," Prue said quietly from across the room.

Chris tilted his head towards her direction and Phoebe thought it seemed strange but did not comment. Chris knew he couldn't comment back to Prue without revealing her so he instead directed his statement to Phoebe. "Let's just finish the spell."

"All right. I just added the last ingredient into the potion. It just needs to simmer for a bit and then it's ready. So let's see what you got so far." She sat at the table in the center of the room and looked up at him in real concern. His body had started fading too. That just did not bode well in her mind at all.

He couldn't sit for fear of falling through the chair so he paced as he dictated a portion of the spell to her. He knew he couldn't say it all out loud or it would take effect and he wasn't quite sure about the wording, so he left the last line for her to write and she showed it to him. "Yes, that looks good, but lets change that word to something more specific." He pointed to a word and then she changed it. It took some time but finally they had it worked out and he was pretty sure it would work. "I think that's it."

Phoebe stared at Chris and she realized for the first time just how much he looked like a ghost. "Chris, I'm worried about you."

He was gonna tell her not to but then Prue spoke up from behind him. "She has every right to be. It's time, Chris."

Chris turned to Prue not caring if he seemed to have lost it. "But the spell?"

"She can say it, Chris. It's designed for any member of the Halliwell line to say it. But I think you knew that when you wrote it, just in case you didn't make it." Prue truly was hating what was happening. She wanted so badly to stop it all. To tell Death that he couldn't have Chris. But she knew, one way or another he'd get him. So she reached out her hand and he took it reluctantly.

Chris' head dropped in deflated resignation and then he turned to Phoebe. "You'll have to say the spell, Pheebs. I have to go," he said softly. "My time here is up. Take care of yourself and them, okay."

"Chris, what… what do you mean?" but then he disappeared from her sight and she gasped finally realizing what was happening. He was never conceived. He just ceased to exist. Sobs wracked her body and she collapsed on the floor crying. None of them had thought about when Chris would have to be conceived. They all just assumed that it would happen when it was time.

After her tears had run dry she stood and picked up the spell up ready to say it. She wasn't sure how she'd tell Piper and Leo that their son, their baby boy would never be born. But she couldn't put off the inevitable anymore. They still had to save Paige.

_I call upon the Halliwell line  
__To help me in this time_

_Return to their rightful place  
__The ones who are lost in time and space_

_Bring to me those I seek, Leo and Piper  
__Even if they have not made their burdens lighter._

Phoebe waited in anticipation as all of a sudden the two people she had been calling for appeared before her eyes. They were standing together and Leo had one arm wrapped around Piper's waist. They both looked as if they were completely frazzled. "What, we're back." Piper blushed accordingly thinking of what Phoebe would have seen if they'd appeared a few minutes earlier.

"Yes, yes you are," Phoebe said sadly tears brimming her eyes again her voice breaking.

Piper immediately saw the emotional trauma her sister seemed to be suffering and moved forward pulling her into a hug. "Phoebe, what's wrong? Where are Chris and Paige?"

"Paige has been captured by a demon," she said sniffling trying to stop the tears, "and Chris…" She didn't want to finish the statement but realized she'd have to. "Chris is gone, Piper. He's just gone."

Piper pulled away from Phoebe a look of fear crossing her features as she looked all around the attic for her son. "Chris, Chris!" she screamed in fear.

Leo immediately tried to sense him but could get nothing. "I can't sense him. Phoebe, what happened to Chris?" A look of anguish began to creep into his face.

"He just disappeared. Ceased to exist. He's just gone," Phoebe explained through her tears.

But then as if the person in question had been pulled from their own minds Chris suddenly blinked back into existence appearing before them, completely whole. He looked from his mother to his father and a broad smile colored his lips. Love still did conquer all. "Hey, your finally back. It's about time," he said sarcastically feeling on top of the world.

Both Piper and Leo gaped in surprise. "Apparently you are too," Piper said cautiously looking at Phoebe.

Phoebe looked at him in complete astonishment and then to Piper and Leo and just said. "Oh. Oh, I see." She turned quickly away from them and dried her eyes as she walked back to the cauldron to bottle the potion. _'Awkward moment there,'_ she thought to herself.

"Okay, would someone mind telling me what's happening here?" Piper said in complete confusion. For one brief minute there she had feared that her heart was gonna burst but then Chris had popped in, wait popped in. She turned back to him with a strange look on her face waiting for him to say anything at all.

Chris just smiled brightly ignoring their strange looks. They had more important things to think of. "Cliffs notes version. Paige has been taken by an upper level demon. Is being held in an orb proof maze and it takes a potion and a Power of Three spell to defeat the demon. So we have to find Paige, so you three can vanquish said demon. The rest will keep till later." Chris had rambled on so fast that it was hard to keep up with his words.

"Ready to go," Phoebe called out holding three vials of the potion. She saw the strange look she was given. "Hey, I'm not taking any chances."

"Good idea," Chris said grabbing Piper's hand and then holding the other out to Phoebe. "Leo, mind watching Wyatt?" he called as he orbed them from the room.

Leo blinked in surprise but felt a presence appear behind him. He turned to see Prue standing there. "Projection?" he asked.

"No, special assignment. One I'm glad I didn't have to go through with," she said smiling sadly.

"Chris?" Leo asked in a shocked whisper.

"He was on the Angel of Death's list, Leo. I couldn't let him go that way. If you and Piper hadn't patched things up, he wouldn't exist anymore," she explained.

"You mean, Piper's pregnant now?" he asked in astonishment.

Prue just nodded.

"He was gone for a second there before we came back." Leo understood now what Phoebe had been so distraught over. "That's way too close." Leo almost felt as if he would hyperventilate as his breathing constricted over the thought of losing his son.

"Leo, in that place you were in, you two were sort of frozen in time. You could have stayed there forever until you made up and conceived Chris and time would have kept ticking on out here. Chris understood that. He worded the spell that way. But he wrote a spell to bring you back early so they could save Paige." Prue had asked Chris about it while they were traveling to the other side and he had explained it to her. "When I asked him why he did it, he said that he couldn't be responsible for her death a second time and especially not earlier than the first. I don't know exactly what he means by that but you have all gotta find a way to get him over his guilt or it's gonna kill him someday."

Leo felt tears spring to his face. He knew the guilt that Chris felt over the deaths of his mother and aunts but had never realized just how far it was ingrained into him. "I know, Prue. It's just difficult right now, but somehow we'll figure it out."

Prue nodded knowing Leo would do whatever he must. "Take care of him, Leo. You got one hell of kid there." And with that she dissolved into nothingness.

"Believe me. I know I do," he whispered taking a seat next to Wyatt's playpen staring off into the distance to think of what needed to be done to heal his son's battered emotions. Wyatt had been sitting silently playing with his toys. He had felt something wrong when Chris disappeared but it wasn't long till Chris was back and he was happy again. Now daddy was sad but he knew Chris would come back soon and then daddy would be happy again. If only Chris could be happy all the time too he wished.

* * *

Chris had orbed them to the opening of the maze ready to fight any demons stationed there but there were none, thankfully. As they entered the maze they could see Paige desperately climbing over a set of stone spikes embedded into each side of the tunnel wall. One of the spikes had impaled her shirt, which she was trying to rip loose before anything else happened.

"Paige, thank god," Phoebe called rushing to her sister. Chris and Piper weren't far behind.

Paige stopped moving staring down at them in astonishment. "Oh, well ain't this just perfect timing. I fought through about a dozen traps to get to the opening of this damned maze and now you all decide to show up. Thanks for all your help."

"Sorry, honey. It's a long story," Phoebe called as Chris climbed to where Paige was stuck and helped to free her from the spike.

Chris was about to help her climb the rest of the way over when he saw the demon behind her holding up an energy ball, ready to drive it into her back. "Drop, Paige," he yelled in fear.

She immediately did as she was told and the energy ball flew towards Chris but he deflected it with his tk power. "Hurry, hand me the potion," he called climbing to the top of the spikes and reaching down for the three vials. "You three get ready to say the spell."

There were two-inch holes in between each spike and Piper and Phoebe kneeled down on the opposite side as Paige, where they could all see the spell. The demon had started tossing more energy balls their way and Chris was busy deflecting them but once the demon was close enough he threw one of the potion vials, which landed at the demon's feet. The demon began to smoke but laughed at the pitiful attempt. Chris threw the other two vials at him just for good measure. "The spell," he called.

_We call on the power of three  
__To make this demon un-be_

_Send him and his demonic maze  
__Away from our time and space_

_Turn him to ash, turn him to dust  
__In this please let us trust_

After the words were said an explosion rocked the underworld and threw Chris from his lofty perch as the stone spikes disintegrated into nothing along with all the other traps before it. The demon had been swallowed into a pit of darkness, hopefully never to be seen again.

Piper and Phoebe helped Paige up and then they all went to where Chris had landed. He moaned slightly but soon was sitting up next to them. "Wow, that spell packed a punch."

Piper knew he was being light in his words so he wouldn't have to face what he had done but she knew they would still have to have a talk about personal gain. "Yes, just as much as the one you said earlier."

Chris blanched white and swallowed hard as he looked down. How had they figured out it was him. Prue had said that she didn't tell them. "Yeah, I guess I wasn't thinking."

"Yes, Chris. You were thinking, and I thank you for it," she said softly placing one hand below his chin and pulling his face up to look into his eyes, "But if you ever do that again, I'm gonna tie you up somewhere and tape your mouth shut until you've learned your lesson," she warned giving him a bright teasing smile.

"I"ve already learned my lesson. I promise you," Chris said smiling happily back at her. '_But I'd do it all again to see that smile of yours,_' he thought to himself.

* * *

_A/N: Ha, I couldn't help but put Prue in that position. I hated the fact that in the original it had been an almost stranger who was there for Chris. It just didn't seem right at all. So Prue's part got expanded, lucky girl. Anyhow this fic has three more sections to it. Now each section could actually be anywhere from one to four chapters, so I guess that means I have a lot more writing to do. Originally this whole fic wasn't supposed to be more than like 15 chapters but when I get carried away, I get carried away. Oh and I will say for those of you biting the bit to have Chris' secret completely revealed you do not have to wait till the last section. It's coming up pretty soon actually._


	18. Naïve Innocence

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Okay we are four months later. No secrets have been spilled yet but things have become even more comfortable between Chris and his family. So enjoy this chapter, which is sort of the calm before the storm.

* * *

**Chapter 18 Naïve Innocence**

_Four Months Later – Magic School_

"Leo, you just can't keep doing this," Gideon tried to reason with his fellow Elder. "Things are getting out of control now."

"What are you talking about? Nothing is out of control," Leo countered reaching up and pulling a book from one of the higher shelves in the library.

"Aren't they?" Gideon countered then lowered his voice to a whisper. "You were seen in the underworld last week, vanquishing demons with that future half-breed."

Leo turned angrily on Gideon. "That future half-breed has a name. It's Chris."

The amount of pure hostility that accompanied his words was enough to make Gideon step back warily. "I'm sorry, Leo. I meant nothing by it. It's just that the other Elders are beginning to see him as a bad influence on you."

A look of astonishment flitted across Leo's face. "A bad influence? If you only knew everything we owed to him. If you only knew the sacrifices he's made to come back here to save those he loves, you'd never question his actions or mine for wanting to help him. It's my place to help him and no one, not even the Elders are gonna stop me." With that Leo orbed away, the book he had been holding clattering noisily to the floor.

Gideon blinked a few times thinking about Leo's words and then a twisted smile crossed his features. He had a theory, one that Leo's words had nearly confirmed. "My, what secret lives we lead," he whispered orbing to his own office.

* * *

"Another long night and day with more just like it to come," Chris said to his reflection in the mirror in his room at P3. He had spent most of his night in the underworld researching a new threat to Wyatt but it hadn't panned out and he hadn't gotten enough sleep to even be worthy of being called sleep. He kept promising himself that someday he'd get to sleep for more than a few minutes or hours. When, he wasn't at all sure, but someday.

His day had been pretty decent though, even if it was long. Leo and he had spent a lot of it up on the bridge discussing theories for hours. A lot of the theories he had already discounted but it was still nice to feel like his father was listening to him and gave a flitter about what he had to say. Chris had begun to wonder though exactly how Leo would react if he knew who he was. Would he be angry and accuse Chris of tricking him? Or would he accept the bond that they were forming and let it progress to one of father and son? That was the rub of the whole thing there. He had truly started to want Leo as his father. Not the Leo he had grown up with but this Leo. The Leo who listened when he talked and who cared when he was hurt or not feeling well. The Leo who he was sure would be there if he ever needed him. "Who am I fooling? He'll just shut me out if he ever finds out. Keep dreaming big, Chris, because that's all it is, a dream," he chided himself as he turned to leave the room.

He was planning on heading over to the Manor to see what Piper was up to and maybe try to beg a meal off of her, which he knew wouldn't be hard to do. She offered to feed him every time he was within twenty feet of her. He knew he was getting too used to her taking care of him. But part of him was reveling in the attention even if he'd never let her know that.

He headed out into the club, into the loud music and glaring lights. It had taken him months to get used to living in the back room of the club. The noise and vibrations from the bands playing sometimes became annoying but he had gotten used to it. But it wasn't like the Manor. It didn't feel like home to him. But he kept telling himself that that was for the best.

He was just about to leave the nightclub when he noticed a very familiar figure standing behind the bar mixing drinks. "What the hell?" He immediately turned and made his way to the bar. Once he got her attention she came to stand in front of him.

"What's up, Chris?" she asked wiping a small amount of perspiration from her brow.

"What the hell are you doing behind that bar, Piper?" he asked a frown coloring his face.

Piper made a sound that slightly resembled a snort. "Nice to see you too, Chris."

He rolled his eyes at her. "I'm glad to see you, Piper. As a matter of fact, I was just heading to the Manor to see how you were doing. But look at my surprise to see a woman in your condition slaving away behind a hot and stuffy bar. Now why exactly is that?" Chris knew from stories he was told that her pregnancy with him hadn't been an easy one at all and was very worried about her working so hard.

"Though I appreciate your concern, Chris, I have no choice in the matter. Taylor called and he had a flat tire. I'm not sure when he'll be in and Brad is out of town, so I can't call him. And that leaves me with me, me, and yeah I guess me." Piper was looking from side to side knowing that she didn't have the time to have this conversation as several customers were calling for her.

She walked away but soon found Chris standing next to her behind the bar with one hand under her elbow pulling her away from what she was doing. "Chris, what are you doing? I'm trying to work."

He gently but forcefully guided her to a stool that was next to the cash register. "Sit," he commanded then helped her to sit on the stool.

"Chris, who is gonna serve my patrons?" she asked giving him a false smile.

He turned and walked over to the nearest customer. "What will ya have?"

The customer answered him and Chris turned back to her. "I'm gonna serve them until Taylor gets here and you are gonna stay where you are at."

Piper's eyes widened in slight shock. She had never even seen Chris drink anything more than a beer but he was offering to run the bar for who knows how long. "You don't have to do this, Chris. But I do appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it. I'm happy to help," he smiled at her brightly looking around at the different bottles of liquor. "Um, can you tell me what's in a Kamikaze?"

Piper moaned slightly. No wonder she had never seen him drink anything besides beer. She proceeded to tell him what to put in the drink and then every other drink that was ordered that he couldn't figure out for himself. "You know, you are a quick study," she called out over the loud music once he found himself caught up and a second to actually breath.

Chris laughed at that. It made him think of another time when she had told him that and they were pretty much in the same place that they were right now. The sense of déjà vu was strange but also comforting.

"_You are such a quick study, Chris," Piper called to her youngest son as he made he and his brother each a Shirley Temple. Normally they would have both scoffed at drinking something named after a small red headed child actress but it was the only drink besides for coke that their mom would let them have. So it would have to do. It was daytime and Piper had brought the boys with her to work on the books at the nightclub and the boys were keeping themselves busy by pretending to work there._

_Wyatt stuck his tongue out at his younger brother but had to add his own comment. "Yeah well I'm gonna be the one who runs P3 once we're old enough."_

_Chris turned to his brother and rolled his eyes. "Go right ahead, Wy. I want to be the master chef in mom's restaurant when it opens." Chris knew that Wyatt couldn't cook worth a darn. If possible he'd burn water. And it pleased him to no end to be better at something than his brother, the perfect Twice Blessed._

"_Well, I'm not gonna have any trouble finding help once you two age some, now am I?" Piper said not looking up from bookwork._

_Wyatt was scowling at Chris but he answered his mother anyway. "You'll always have us to help you, Mom."_

_She looked up at her sons and smiled. How had she been so lucky? "I know that, baby. But not until after college," she added knowing the groans this would illicit from her children and sure enough two identical sets of groans rang through the room._

_Chris handed his brother his drink and started to drink his own when a jingling sound was heard. Wyatt immediately looked up. "Ah, Wy. We were just starting to have fun."_

"_Sorry, Bro. They are calling me. I guess dad has some knew meditation thingie he wants me to try out," Wyatt explained using one of his aunt Paige's favorite terms. "It's supposed to help calm me so my powers don't go berserk."_

"_Wyatt, you did remind your dad that tomorrow is Chris' birthday, didn't you?" Piper asked worried that Leo would forget and not show up again this year. That would be bad enough but if he made Wyatt miss it too Chris would be devastated._

"_It's okay, Mom," Chris said quietly looking down. "We'll do something together when he's back."_

"_No it's not okay, Chris. Wyatt you tell your dad that if he messes up this time, I'm gonna blow him into next Tuesday until it is next Tuesday," Piper warned angrily._

_Wyatt held his hands up. "Okay, Mom. Don't kill the messenger. I'll tell him." Then he turned to his little brother who hadn't looked up yet. "Hey, Chris. I promise, I'll be there. No matter what Dad says."_

_Chris looked up and a large smile covered his face. "Really, Wy?"_

"_Really," he answered ruffling his little brother's hair. "Gotta go." And he disappeared into a swirl of blue and white orbs._

_Chris watched until he was gone and then turned back to his mom with a bright smile covering his face._

"_I'm sorry things are like this for you, Chris," Piper said a sad expression covering her features._

"_It's okay, Mom. I'm used to it with Dad by now. And at least Wy never lets me down." The look of naïve innocence on his face was enough to break Piper's heart. She wondered if those words would always be true. _

Chris shook himself out of the memory and noticed that Piper was staring at him. He knew he must be wearing a frown. He remembered that day so well. The day before his fourteenth birthday. The first time that Wyatt had let him down. The first of many times actually. But the one that had cut the deepest and the one he would never forget.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Piper asked seeing his distress.

Chris looked away from her for a moment trying to keep her from seeing the emotions running through his eyes. "I wouldn't force these thoughts on anyone, not even if I paid them for it," he finally whispered.

Piper stood up from the stool he had placed her on earlier and walked up next to him. "Chris, you don't have to go through it all alone, you know. We are all here if you need us."

Chris turned to her and sighed deeply. Oh how he wanted to let her comfort him just this once. But his current thoughts were just too hard to bear himself. He could never force them onto someone else and especially not her. "Thanks, Piper. I appreciate it but this one is my cross to bear."

"Chris, we all need to be comf…" she began to say but he cut her off mid-sentence.

"Hey, there's Taylor. You really should go home and get some rest. It's been a rough evening." He had turned the emotions off just as quickly as they had turned on and she sighed in disappointment at the missed opportunity to help her son.

"What are you gonna do?" she asked hoping he'd offer to escort her back to the Manor so she could try to get him to open up again.

"Probably hang out here or just go for a walk. I need to clear my head some." She tried to hide her disappointment at his words but he saw anyway. "But I'll be over later. I've still got a demon to find," he whispered smiling brightly at her and turned to walk away.

Piper watched him go and couldn't help her thoughts. _'Don't Demons find us enough on their own without you walking right into their dens?_' She knew it wasn't fair. He was after the demon that would someday get to Wyatt, but still she didn't want to trade one son's life for the others.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, well I think we all know what happens on Chris' fourteenth birthday. I know a lot of people choose not to make that the exact day of The Event but it just seems to mean more to me for it to be on his birthday. And how many of you are just shivering because of what Gideon thinks he knows? I know I am._


	19. Beginning of Forever

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N**: Warning! If you thought some of the other chapters were a might bit too upsetting for you, don't read this chapter. Lot's of pain, anguish and heartache ahead with some serious torture thrown in. Don't say you weren't warned. As one of my reviewers might say it's a lot of cryin' and a little bit of dyin'. I'll also warn that this chapter is very fast moving and switches point of view very often. Now off to have some fun.

* * *

**Chapter 19 Beginning of Forever**

After speaking to Piper, Chris had orbed to the Golden Gate Bridge to just sit and think. It was getting harder and harder to keep his secret. Not because he made slip ups. No every slip up he'd made recently seemed to just go unnoticed by Leo and the sisters. That was strange but as long as it was working he wasn't gonna question it. No, he had to admit to himself that he was having trouble keeping the secret because he didn't want it to be a secret anymore. Every day that he spent with any of them was becoming so enjoyable that he didn't want any of those days to end. Telling his secret had begun to seem very tempting but still there was so much holding him back. But he had begun to wonder if the things holding him back were half as important as the things that made him want to press forward.

The pain he felt over the way his father treated him in the future was becoming an almost afterthought to him. The Leo in this time more than made up for the mistreatment in the future. Chris knew that someday he'd have to go back to his own time but for some reason he believed that the change in this version of his father would carry through to the one in his present time. Or at least he was hoping so. If that was the case he was pretty sure he could forgive him for the pain and neglect. He'd do almost anything to have this version of Leo as his father in the future as long as he could accept Chris as his son.

And even the pain over losing his mom and the aunts was becoming just a little more bearable as long as he was with them in this time. It was still there. And it still hurt like hell when he thought about it but sometimes he caught himself almost forgetting it for just a few minutes as he enjoyed their company now. But then it would crash back in and he'd remember that they might not be in his own time when he returned and that would scare him to death and he'd back off again and find himself sitting on this bridge staring down onto the cars passing by below him. And on nights like tonight he'd also find himself crying to his own humiliation. But at least there was no one there to see it.

A deep sigh escaped his lips as he thought of Piper back at P3 and the way he had just left her there. It hadn't been very long since he had left the club and he knew that she would be heading home soon. He had planned on escorting her home but his own need to get away from there had kept him from doing so but now his worry over her was surfacing again. He should have just stayed and saw her home. His own pain could have been held off that long.

* * *

Piper hadn't left P3 right after she talked to Chris but she hadn't stayed too long either. She knew her family would be wondering what was taking her so long soon. But her mind was completely preoccupied with her youngest son as she walked towards her car. It had worried her to see that lost look on his face in the nightclub. She knew he had to be remembering something from his past. Had it been one of the memories they had seen in the tribunal chamber? Or was it a new past horror that they didn't know of? Or maybe even a memory from this timeline before they had started treating him like a human being with feelings. She wanted so desperately to protect him from his own past and from the things they had done to him but he would never let her or anyone else for that matter. And that frustrated her so much. 

She was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the demon shimmer in behind her until its arms wrapped around her trapping her arms at her side. Her eyes widened in fear and she called out the first name that came to her mind, "Chris!" just before they shimmered away from the deserted parking lot.

The one word screamed through Chris' mind louder than he had ever heard it before and he felt as if a fist clutched at his heart threatening to squeeze it till it burst. "Mom," he called in fear and stood orbing to where he had felt her presence. He ended up in the parking lot at P3 but not a soul was in sight. He bent over picking up a lose object that had dropped to the ground and realized that it was Piper's purse. "Oh god, no." he cried out clutching it tightly as he concentrated on sensing where she could be. There was nothing. It was as if she just wasn't there at all. He couldn't sense anything of her. He knew he was beginning to panic but he had to hold it together. And he had to get help.

He orbed into the attic in the Manor surprising Leo, Phoebe and Paige. They seemed to be in a deep conversation but what ever they were talking about faded away as they saw the look on Chris' face. "Chris, what's wrong?" Leo asked moving forward in concern.

Chris knew he had to form the words. He had to speak. He had to tell them, but all he could do was hold out Piper's purse to Leo. Leo took it and realized what it was. "Where's Piper, Chris?"

Chris just shook his head mutely. Why wouldn't his tongue work?

Leo could see the tears in his son's eyes and see the trauma he seemed to be in. He turned and threw the purse at Phoebe, who caught it and immediately went into a premonition. Her face was dazed for a moment and then suddenly bore a look of terror before she was ripped from the vision. "Oh, god," she cried as she came out of the vision. "She was taken by a demon. She called for Chris right before he shimmered out with her."

Her words had seemed to unlock his tongue and he began to speak his words husky with emotion. "She was gone by the time I got there. The only thing left was her purse. I can't sense her anywhere."

Leo wanted to panic as badly as he could see his son was but he had to think of this logically. Piper was still alive or Chris would be gone by now. That he knew had to be true. They still had a chance to rescue her. "She's fine. Let's not panic. We'll find her. Phoebe, Paige, Book of Shadows. Find that demon. Chris…" he began to direct him but he shook his head cutting him off.

"I'm going down," Chris said in determination his voice finally strengthening now that he had a direction in his mind. "I'll start the search. Once you have any information find me."

"Chris, I can't let you go by yourself. There are too many blank spots down there that I won't be able to sense you in," Leo was already afraid of losing his wife and unborn child without having to worry about the grown version of that child running off and getting himself killed in the state he was in.

"Leo, trust me. I'll be fine. Let's just find Piper," Chris orbed away before he could be stopped.

Leo was very frustrated as he tried to sense Chris. Apparently he had orbed right into one of those blank spots so Leo couldn't follow him. "If he gets himself killed I'm never gonna forgive him for it," he muttered turning to the sisters who were already scouring the Book.

Chris hadn't wanted Leo to follow him yet. He hadn't wanted to risk him seeing the major breakdown that he was surely gonna have real soon. This was wrong, very wrong. There were no stories from his childhood that had told of a demon taking Piper when she was pregnant. This wasn't supposed to be happening. Something he had changed had caused this. Somehow that had to be it. Whoever had Piper had to be doing it to get to him. And he wasn't gonna allow that to happen. She wouldn't die because of him a second time and certainly not sooner than she had the first. That thought struck him as familiar as he realized he had had the same thought with Paige a few months before. He had come back to change things for the good of them all, so why did it seem that things were going all wrong for them?

He was on his way to find one of his informants when it happened. Chris was gripped with an immense amount of pain that brought him to his knees grasping his stomach and crying out in pain. After the first wave of pain washed over him Chris made himself get to his feet and push on. He knew the pain he was feeling was coming from his mother and the fear of losing her was enough to overcome any pain he might feel. So he kept moving.

* * *

Piper had found that once she was in the underworld she was chained to a wall with her hands held completely immobile. Whoever had her knew the damage she could do with one flick of the wrist. The demon in question stood on the opposite side of the room giving orders to several other demons before he turned and walked up to her. It wasn't a demon that they had dealt with, as of yet, she was sure of that. He was tall with skin the color of obsidian and eyes as black as night. His frame was rather on the thin side but she could see the strength he held in his hands. "I assume I should be a more gracious host, Milady," he commented mock bowing in front of her. "I am in the presence of greatness, am I not?" 

Piper scowled at the cocky demon. "If you want to be gracious you can unchain me, for a start," she bit out sarcastically.

"Though I pride myself on my hospitality, I truly do not intend to allow you to blow me to bits," he answered again in that fake polite voice of his. It was really beginning to annoy Piper. But at least he had let something important slip. She could kill him herself, if she could gain her freedom.

"So what's with bringing me down here, anyway. You've had plenty of opportunity to kill me. Maybe a trap for my sisters?" she asked fishing for answers.

"Milady, I would never dream of harming you or your sisters, at this time at least. No, for now I have one distasteful task to complete and you will be returned to your family, more or less alive," he assured her.

Piper didn't like the sound of that. No matter how he said it, it sounded like pain for her. And she had her unborn son to think of too. What if the demon ended up hurting baby Chris? "Cut the pretty speech. What are you gonna do to me?" she finally demanded not at all sure she really wanted to know.

The demon smiled greedily and let the false façade drop. He moved closer to Piper. Closer than what was at all comfortable for her. He raised one hand up in front of her face and she could see sparks of electricity dancing between his fingertips. "You see, Milady, my powers are not very strong at all. This little amount of electricity, though would be able to give you a shock if I were to touch that pretty face of yours, just doesn't hold enough of a jolt to be able to kill a full grown adult." With those words he moved his hand down Piper's body making sure not to touch her yet until it rested right above her abdomen where her pregnancy was beginning to show. "But to an unborn child, well I'm afraid a few shocks through the womb would be too much to handle." He glanced at her a bright malicious smile on his face.

Piper gasped and tried to pull away from the demon's hand struggling against the chains and kicking out towards the creature before her. Once his hand clamped down on her stomach she started screaming in both pain and fear as tears began to stream from her eyes.

The demon did not hold on too long but instead stood back enjoying the pain he was seeing on his victim's features. "Not so sarcastic now are we?"

Piper was sobbing by then as Chris' face flashed before her eyes. Oh god, she couldn't lose him now. Not before he was even born. She constantly yanked at the chains holding her wrists and could start to feel blood pooling around them but that didn't matter to her. This demon, no this monster was trying to kill her baby and she'd die first before she let that happen. "Stay the hell away from me," she screamed in anger throwing ever ounce of pain she could into her voice.

"I'm afraid the one I'm working for wouldn't appreciate that. So shall we continue?" he asked walking closer to her again.

* * *

The pain had let up for a few seconds and Chris took the opportunity to rush forward in the tunnels. He had to find her, somehow. He wasn't sure how he'd do it but he just had to. But the relief didn't last long as he was locked in its grip again causing him to stumble and land face first on the hard stone floor screaming in pain. It was like his insides were burning him and he couldn't imagine what could be doing this to him. But his thoughts were with his mother knowing whatever was being done to her was probably destroying her as much as it was him. "Dad, help!" he forced out through gritted teeth before he slipped into darkness. 

_He was standing alone in a chamber in the underworld and was wondering why exactly he had done such a foolish thing. He knew how angry his mother would be when she found him but at the time he had been angry too and he couldn't just stay there and do nothing. Wyatt had promised and he had waited. He had waited for hours until he finally realized that neither of them were coming this time. When had Wyatt become just like his father he wondered? And why did it hurt so much more for Wyatt to disappoint him than for his father to?_

_So once the party his mother and aunts had thrown for him was over he had excused himself to go to his room. But he hadn't stayed there. He and Wyatt had been orbing down into the underworld for almost a year now without their parents being any the wiser. They always took plenty of vanquishing potions with them and with their combined powers had never ran into anything they couldn't handle together. But it was the together part that had made all the difference. Now Chris was alone and all of his potions were gone and his powers were not strong enough to get him out of the danger he had walked blindly into. He knew there were certain chambers in the underworld that were set up with anti-orbing spells and crystals. Unfortunately he had ended up in one of them and was surrounded by demons. _

_He was sure he was a goner this time but as always mom and the aunts came to the rescue. They fought well but Piper was distracted by trying to keep him out of harm's way and things went very bad, very quickly. _

_Paige was the first to fall and Chris could see her cold dead eyes staring up into the dark cavern ceiling. It was the first time he had ever seen anyone he cared about dead and he knew he'd never forget that blank gaze as long as he lived. _

_Then it had been Phoebe. She had died while trying in vane to rouse Paige as a demon slit her throat with an Athame. By then Chris was trying to get away from his mother so he could help his aunts. But that was what had ruined it all in the end. _

_Chris had screamed out to Phoebe ready to spring to her rescue and Piper turned to see both her sister's bodies dead on the cold stone floor. That's when it happened. Piper was distracted by the sight of her sisters and her son's obvious anguish over it. That had allowed the demon to come up behind her. Chris knew he would never forget what that demon had looked like. Tall and thin with black skin and eyes to match holding an Athame dripping in his mother's blood. He had stabbed her in the back and then shimmered out leaving Chris alone with his dying mother. Chris had eventually realized that the demon knew leaving him alive would be much worse punishment than to kill him outright. And it had been. He had wanted to go with her if he couldn't save her._

_Chris had managed to drag his mother into an adjoining chamber where he could call for Wyatt and Leo. But the demon hadn't been alone and another was waiting there. It didn't want to risk the boy finding help so it had hit Chris with a low level energy ball, which should have been enough to kill him, but Chris wasn't dead yet and as long as his mother still breathed he'd do what he could to save her. He used his telekinetic powers and tossed the demon into a nearby wall that was studded with sharp stones sticking out. The demon landed on one of the sharp points and imploded on impact. Then the screams started. He screamed as loud and as hard as he could for Leo or Wyatt or anyone who was willing to help his mother. But no one answered him and no one came._

_Piper had been unconscious for a few moments but came too with her son's screams. "Chris baby, calm down, Peanut. You're hurt," she said reaching out to touch her son's cheek, her fingers becoming wet with his tears. He had been sitting on the cold stone floor holding her up and away from the dirt. He could feel her blood flowing through his fingers but he wouldn't let her go. He couldn't. _

_She had said he was hurt and he was but it didn't matter to him that he had a huge energy burn on his shoulder and chest. All that mattered was that the one person he had always loved above all others was lying in his arms taking her last breaths and he couldn't heal her. He had tried. He had concentrated just as Wyatt had tried to teach him to but it hadn't worked. Nothing had happened. "Mom, they don't come," he cried in anguish._

"_Shhh…baby. I know. You've done all you can for me. You have to orb out of here. Get help for yourself," she whispered to him rubbing circles in the tears streaking down his face with her thumb. _

"_No, Mom. I can't leave you. Please don't make me. I can't." Then he turned his face to the heavens again. "Dad, Wyatt!" he screamed with all his might. "Please, Mom needs you!"_

_When there was no answer he bowed his head so his forehead rested against hers. "Please don't leave me, Mom," he sobbed clutching her even closer to his chest._

_Piper wanted so desperately to be able to assure her baby that she wouldn't leave him. But she knew she would. It was only a matter of seconds now. "Baby, I'll always be in your heart and whenever you need me you just have to think of me and somewhere I'll be thinking of you too. Death isn't the end. It's just the beginning of forever," she whispered hoping her son would understand. She couldn't explain to him about the Astral Plane and crossing back over and such. None of that would help his pain right now but she knew she'd somehow see her son again._

_Chris had heard her words but they hadn't stopped him from wanting her to stay with him. He lifted his head and looked down into her face, which had taken on a serene peaceful look. She looked almost as if she were sleeping, but he knew better. She would never open her eyes again. And he knew he could never truly be happy again without her._

_When Wyatt had found him clutching their mother's body he hadn't been able to say a word. He just sat there rocking back and forth with the tears streaming down his cheeks and his whole body trembling in pure anguish. He hadn't even noticed when his brother healed him or any of the words he had said to him. He felt as if his entire life was over.

* * *

_

Leo had heard that cry for help and it was like a shot in the dark. It was so full of anguish and pain. He hadn't bothered to tell the sisters where he was going. He just grabbed a leather pouch he had placed on the table earlier and orbed out sensing where his son was.

His shape took form right above where Chris was lying unconscious on the floor and kneeled next to his son checking him for injuries. But he couldn't see any, but he could see the look of anguish on his son's face even in his unconscious world. He placed his hands above Chris and waited for the glow of his healing touch. It was slow coming but it was there. And within seconds Chris had stopped writhing in pain and his eyes flew open. He saw Leo above him and reached out wrapping his arms around his father before he knew exactly what he was doing. All he could remember was being frightened and very alone and praying for his father to come for once in his life. And here he was before him.

The sight of his mother's dying body was still ingrained inside his head but the notion that she wasn't the one that needed saving right then was forcing it's way back into his mind very slowly. At least not that version of her he thought to himself, which seemed like a strange notion to his very confused mind.

"It's okay, Chris. You're okay now and we'll find her. I promise we will," Leo said rubbing comforting circles on his son's back. He knew how this must be affecting him. After all the pain her original death had caused him, now to risk losing her in this time too. He was sure that the strain on his son's sanity must be almost more than he could bear.

Chris was beginning to realize that something was strange about Leo holding him like this but the comfort was too tempting to turn down so he clung even tighter to him wanting his father to protect him, but somewhere in the back of his mind that thought even seemed strange. When had his father ever protected him before? But that wasn't what was important right now. "I can't find her, and I can't lose her again," he whispered in complete anguish.

Leo pulled Chris away from him slightly so he could look into his eyes as he spoke. "Chris, you are not gonna lose her again. We are not gonna give up and I promise you we'll find your mom and she won't die this time and she won't die in your future either."

Leo realized what he was saying just about the time that the words had left his mouth but he knew it was too late to turn back now and Chris needed to hear them anyway.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, yeah, someone's gonna slap me for ending it right there, but I'll risk it. Wow that was the hardest chapter to write yet but I'm hoping it came together well and everyone likes how Chris learns the truth. Yes I know you wanted to see his reaction but you have to wait till next chapter. Sorry._


	20. Saving Her

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Okay when I said someone was gonna slap me, did I mean it literally? No, I didn't. All right maybe I did deserve it a little. Okay, maybe alot. But come on. It was a perfect cliffhanger. But anyway, without any further ado, the chapter that you have all been waiting for. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 20 Saving Her**

_Leo pulled Chris away from him slightly so he could look into his eyes as he spoke. "Chris, you are not gonna lose her again. We are not gonna give up and I promise you we'll find your mom and she won't die this time and she won't die in your future either."_

_Leo realized what he was saying just about the time that the words had left his mouth but he knew it was too late to turn back now and Chris needed to hear them anyway._

Chris stared in disbelief at his father their eyes locked and the full meaning of those words hit him. He knew. Not only who Chris was but he knew about mom dying in the future too. His mouth opened to say something but no sound came out. He blinked several times not at all sure what to say. A million things ran through his mind. A million questions. How did he find out? How long had he known? Did the others know? Were they mad? Was he mad? Did they hate him?

Leo could see the questions and emotions running through his son's eyes and he wanted so desperately to sit with him and give him the answers he needed and to assure him that everything would be fine. But at that moment they just didn't have the time. "Chris, I know you are confused. I know you are hurt and that is the last thing I want for you, but we have to find your mom."

Chris listened to his words running them through his mind and started to nod knowing his father was right. The rest of this would have to wait. Piper… no Mom needed him and that had to be his first priority. "I don't know how to find her," he finally admitted his voice cracking slightly.

"I know. She's probably being shielded somehow, but in this world, in this place and in this moment you and I are the two people who love her most. I've gotta believe that that counts for something and we can manage together to sense her. It's the only thing I got right now." Leo knew it was a long shot but he wasn't about to just give up because it was hard. And whether it worked or not maybe it would at least buy his son some sanity until Phoebe and Paige could figure out who the demon was that had her. Then they would go from there.

Chris nodded closing his eyes and concentrated on his mother and only his mother. Leo did the same still holding his son's arms, still afraid that if he let him go he'd vanish forever.

Chris could feel his conscious mind reaching out, searching, seeking the presence he wanted to find so desperately. And then there it was. Like a light in the distance he felt himself being pulled closer to her. He could even see the tunnel walls blurring by beside him until he found himself standing in a chamber staring at a demon's back. He could just barely see his mother's profile in front of the demon, but it was her and she was crying and yelling at the demon, screaming in fear and kicking out at it. Chris' first instinct was to use his powers of telekinesis to force the demon away but when he swiped his hand at the beast nothing happened, then Chris found himself being pulled back away from the scene.

His eyes flew open and Leo was staring at him in concern. "What just happened, Chris? It was as if you were in a trance."

Chris blinked a couple of times and then answered. "I think I just Astral Projected. But I've never done that before." He knew there was always the possibility that he'd gain more powers, but he just hadn't thought that much about it, not wanting to get his hopes up. But sure enough he had been in that chamber with them for just a few seconds.

Leo nodded. It wasn't at all surprising. Chris was old enough for his powers to advance and the next logical step for him would be Astral Projection just as Prue's had been. "You're powers are just progressing. That's a good thing, but for now I need to know what you saw?"

"Mom. A demon has her. He's torturing her. But I know how to get there." Chris new the underworld passages almost as well as any demon living in them and he had recognized the tunnels he had been in. "We can orb partway there."

Leo grabbed the leather pouch he had discarded on the floor and handed it to Chris. "I thought you might need these."

Chris stared at his emergency kit and from the weight of it could tell that Leo had replenished the potions in it. "Thanks, Dad," he said quietly and then he orbed away to a closer location to where Piper was.

Leo was stunned for just a moment by those words but he knew he had to go and quickly, so he followed Chris' orb trail to a different set of tunnels in the underworld.

Within moments they had weaved their way through the tunnels to just outside the cavern where Piper was being held. There were several demons waiting there but both Chris and Leo were ready for them.

* * *

The second wave of electricity that had steamed through her abdomen was enough to make Piper fight even harder against the demon. She kicked, she screamed, she even tried to get her mouth close enough to bite the creature. Anything to get him away from her baby. 

God her baby, Chris. Was he even still alive? Had the demon's powers already obliterated her son? That thought made her want to curl up and die but she couldn't give up yet. If there was any possibility that her son still lived she would fight on and she would kill the demon with her bare hands if she had to.

After the second wave of electricity the demon backed away again, this time not completely unscathed. The witch had managed to get her teeth close enough to rake a long scratch down his face. He reached out gingerly touching the cut and it immediately sealed at his request. He smiled nastily at her and wagged his finger making a tsking sound. Piper just glared at him and then spit the foul taste of him from her mouth. "You make me sick. You can't even fight a full-grown witch. You have to prey on the weak, innocent and unborn."

The demon just laughed at that but his eyes widened in surprise as suddenly her stomach began to glow. Piper looked down at the healing glow and tears of joy sprung to her eyes knowing her son was being healed. "Bless you, Leo," she whispered as a chuckle of pure glee escaped her lips.

"Don't be so quick to celebrate. I don't understand how that child is being healed but I do know that I can torture it until it can no longer be healed," the demon threatened as it moved closer to his prey.

Piper knew she somehow had to hold out until they could find her but she swore that the demon would not touch her son again. With that thought she kicked out again as hard as she could forcing the demon to step back slightly. And then something odd happened. The demon turned away from her for just a split second as if something behind it had caught its attention, but Piper couldn't see anything there. Then the demon turned back to her and moved closer again.

She again kicked out but the demon somehow managed to grab her leg. She was stuck there with one leg trapped in the demon's grip and the other just barely balancing her on the floor. She could feel her wrists that had become slimy with her own blood moving inside the chains now. That was it. That was what she needed. She turned both of her wrists at the same time and yanked down amazed at how easily they had slipped from their restraints.

This had also surprised the demon who immediately shoved her to the side and dove away from her. Piper fell hard but was soon swinging back around towards the threat. But something caught her attention from the doorway. There were explosions and screams coming from the tunnel outside the cavern. And the mouth of the cavern was lit up with an eerie blue glow.

The demon knew if he failed in his task he'd be as good as dead. He'd have to find a way to kill that child before he left the cavern. So he used the commotion that was distracting her and snuck around behind a couple of boulders and then shimmered out and then back in behind her. Before she could react he had an Athame poised at her throat. If he couldn't kill just he child, he'd kill them both and cut his losses at that.

At that moment Chris and Leo barged into the room but both stopped dead in their tracks at the sight before them. Chris felt as if all of the air had been sucked from his lungs as he stared at the demon with black skin and obsidian eyes, the same demon that had plagued his nightmares since his mother's death eight years before. How ironic that the same demon was now threatening her life in this timeline.

Leo always the optimist knew there had to be a way out of this. "If you let her go, we won't kill you. You'll be free to go."

Chris wanted to scream at his father that they couldn't do that. They couldn't let the demon that would some day kill her go free just like that. But then again if they didn't wouldn't it just kill her now even sooner. His head dropped as if in defeat and his eyes closed.

"I'm sure you will let me go. Just as sure as I am that this witch wouldn't blow me away the minute I set her free," the demon said snarling at them.

Piper began to inch her hands up. If only she could somehow … but then the knife dug further into her throat drawing a thin line of blood where it bit into her skin. "Ah, ah, ah. Keep you hands where I can see them Milady."

The demon hadn't noticed the near trancelike state that Chris had gone into. But he did notice when a second being that looked identical to him appeared next to his arm with his hand snaking in between the hand holding the Athame and Piper's throat, not even noticing the cut that was sliced into his own palm. At that moment even though Piper had been completely surprised by the action she raised both hands and froze the demon.

For a few brief seconds no one moved in the room and then Piper ducked from under the demon's arm and Chris' projection disappeared as his eyes opened and his head came up. He rushed forward and helped Piper to move away from the demon and back over next to Leo. They all turned and looked at the demon who had threatened the things they most held dear. "What do we do with it?" Leo asked.

"We vanquish it," Chris said pulling a potion bottle from his leather pouch and tossing it at the demon in question. When it hit the demon unfroze for just a moment and then burst into flames until it was completely consumed.

"Wait," Piper called too late. "It was following someone else's orders."

Chris looked at her and shook his head. "I don't care if it worked for the Holy Pope in Rome. That is one demon that you don't want to be alive in fourteen years."

Piper and Leo both gasped guessing at what Chris was referring to. They both accepted his words without question. That left the three of them standing alone in the silence.

Piper hadn't been able to keep her eyes off of Chris. He was alive and well. That was what counted the most. Chris stared down at her and he knew by looking into her eyes that she knew exactly who he was. It was all there. The look of a concerned mother. The pain of almost losing that child. The joy of finding that child alive and well. He couldn't help the feeling of relief he felt. She knew. He wouldn't have to hide from her anymore. With those thoughts in his mind he wrapped his arms around her pulling her into a tight hug. He was still slightly afraid that she would reject him once the fear and adrenaline had worn off but for that moment he was just grateful that she was alive.

Piper hadn't expected Chris to do that, but something had changed in him. Something very important and she felt as if she was falling behind in the information category but that would not keep her from accepting the first real show of affection her son had ever made towards her. She finally pulled away from him and gave Leo a strange look, which he only returned with a smile. "Can we go home now," she asked in a very tired voice.

Leo pointed to several crystals that were buried in the ceiling of the cavern. "If you can destroy them, we'd be happy to orb you to your very own home."

She smiled at him and threw her hands up destroying the crystals and then placed a hand on each of them as blue and white orbs surrounded them whisking them away from the hell she had found in the underworld.

They all three appeared in Piper's bedroom. Leo knew exactly how tired she must be by then and he still had to heal her various cuts and abrasions, so he helped her to lay down and started healing her. Chris had backed away next to the door and stepped out of the room calling up the stairs to the attic. "Paige, Phoebe."

It sounded almost as if a herd of buffalo's came barreling down the steps. "Chris, you're back. Good. We found the demon. His name's Falsit and…" but Phoebe never finished the statement as she stopped next to the bedroom door and saw Leo healing Piper. "Apparently you found him too," she finished. Paige was right next to her peaking into the room.

They both moved into the room and took up spots on Piper's bed, worried for her. "Are you okay, honey?" Phoebe asked in deep concern.

Piper nodded even though her features seemed strained and almost painful from the ordeal she had gone through. Leo backed away once the healing was done and then looked to Chris standing by the door.

Chris caught the look and his eyes seemed to widen in fear. He shook his head. He didn't want to put Piper through any more stress after the day she had had and he wasn't so sure he was ready to face it himself either.

"Chris, we can't put this off." Leo had been tempted to just let it go knowing how difficult this would be on both of them but then he also realized that the best way they could face the pain they had both suffered would be together.

Piper had caught the tone in Leo's voice and sat up looking between the two of them but she didn't say anything yet.

"Yes, yes we can. She's too tired to handle it right now," Chris said not looking at Piper, only staring at Leo.

"Chris?" she said questioningly as a suspicion entered her mind. She wanted to see his face, to read his eyes. "Chris, look at me."

Chris licked his lips nervously and looked down first before he was able to raise his eyes to meet hers. She could see the tears shimmering there and the pain he held deep inside and the fear of rejection. It was all written plainly for all to see. "You know, don't you?" she asked hesitantly.

He didn't answer her. It seemed as if he was paralyzed in fear. He wanted to scream it out loud. He wanted to beg her to not hate him. But he couldn't bring one syllable to form in his mouth.

Piper knew she couldn't just sit there and let him drown in his own pain, so she stood easily and moved close to him. He didn't back away from her and he didn't break eye contact with her. Once she was within just a few inches of him looking up into his eyes she smiled at him and reached up touching the side of his face. "Don't be afraid, Chris. None of your fears are gonna come true." She wanted to hear the words from his own mouth. She knew it would be easier for him if he could admit it himself.

He licked his lips once again and pressed his cheek into her hand enjoying the comfort it offered. "Dad let it slip while we were below," he whispered.

Piper didn't look at Leo. She knew the stress they had been in and if Leo had told Chris it was for his own good anyway. "I'm glad it's out in the open," she said nodding encouragingly to him.

Then the questions finally began to spring to his lips. "How? How did you find out?"

Leo thought he should be the one to answer that since he was the one that had convinced them to keep it a secret. "The Tribunal Chamber. We saw some things after you passed out."

Chris' face blanched realizing the things they could have seen. He turned to stare at Leo letting Piper's hand drop away from his face. "You told me that the chamber didn't show anything else."

"No, I said that it didn't show anything worth commenting over," Leo admitted.

Chris rolled his eyes at that and shook his head. He hadn't ever guessed his father would be such an artful liar. "So you decided it would be easier to just keep the charade going instead of facing the type of person your second son had become."

"No, Chris," Piper denied adamantly. "That's not at all why we kept the secret." She tried to reach out and touch him again but he pulled away from her.

Leo could quickly see how things were spiraling downward on them. At any minute Chris would be orbing out and that was the last thing he wanted. "Chris we didn't tell you because we loved you too much to do that to you."

Chris looked at his father and his mouth dropped open in surprise. He could see the love shining from his father's eyes. They always showed everything they felt, just as Chris' did and Piper too had that look of pure undying love on her face. But how could they? "I don't understand." It was so soft and his voice sounded so lost right then.

Leo moved forward so he stood as close to his son as he could without touching him. He didn't want Chris to misunderstand anything he was saying to him. "Chris, that chamber showed us a lot of things that none of us had ever dreamed could come true, but it also showed us just how painful it would be for you if we found out your secrets. None of us could risk hurting you anymore than we already had. We could see how devastated you were by the sister's deaths and by my …" Leo paused almost unable to say the word but he knew he must. "…mistreatment of you and then Wyatt turning on you. You weren't ready for us to know yet. You weren't ready for us to care about you. But we do. More than you can ever imagine. So we agreed to wait until you were ready. Until you wanted us to be your family."

Chris thought back to how he had felt at the time they had been in the Tribunal Chamber. It was true. They had showed him nothing but distrust and hate since he had arrived in their time and he wasn't at all ready for them to be his family back then. But what about now? Nothing was the same. His love for them all had grown over the last few months and he had wanted nothing more than to have his family back. To have these people be his family. But what of his fears? "But I lied to you, I tricked you, I even sent you to Valhalla," he admitted.

Leo's eyebrows raised slightly at that. He hadn't thought about that little trip in some time now. He knew then that Chris had done it, but he knew now why it had been done. "Though, I didn't exactly enjoy my vacation in Valhalla, it's not something that I haven't already forgiven you for, Chris. And you lied to us because you thought you had to, and honestly you probably did. I'm glad we know the truth now, but we are ready to know it now. I don't think any of us were back then."

Chris looked at Piper then. She had been quietly waiting her turn to talk to him and even though she was dying to have his attention she couldn't keep the smile of pleasure off her face hearing he and Leo working through their differences.

She had an expectant look on her face, which seemed strange to him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I've waited seven months now for this one moment and it's nearly killed me to do so." She knew she was risking him running away but at that moment she couldn't have stopped herself if she wanted to. She reached up wrapping her arms around his neck grasping him in a tight hug and whispered into his ear the words she had so wanted to say. "Chris, I love you with all my heart and no matter how old you are you are always gonna be my baby, my little Peanut. I was so afraid tonight that I was gonna lose you. And that would have broken my heart into a million little pieces. Don't ever leave me, please."

Chris had been shocked by her actions at first but her words had touched him so deep in his heart that he knew he could never deny her. He wrapped his own arms around her returning the hug. "I love you too, Mom," he whispered. And for the first time since he had arrived in this time he let himself love her with all his heart. He wasn't sure whether killing the demon that killed her in his future would change her fate but for the first time in a long time he had hope.

When he pulled away from her he looked to his dad and he could see the tears shimmering in his eyes. Chris nodded to him and Leo moved forward wrapping his arms around both of them. He pulled Chris close and some of the guilt and pain he had been carrying around for months had finally started to lessen just a little bit. His son didn't hate him and they were building a future together. That was all he could ask for.

Paige and Phoebe both sat on Piper's bed with tears in their eyes, but that didn't last long. Paige stood and moved towards them. "Can I get in on a little of that hugging action too? I know I'm just an aunt but I think it should count for something," she asked Chris sheepishly.

Chris always loved his aunt's humor and wit. At times like this it could always break a tense or sad moment and make them all smile. "Well you are a very cool aunt," he admitted pulling from his parent's embrace and walking forward to hug her too.

After that he pulled back and stared at Phoebe who was still sitting speechless on the bed with tears streaming down her face. This struck Chris as odd. He had figured she would have been butting into the entire conversation but instead she had stayed deathly quiet. "Um… Phoebe… aren't you gonna say anything?" he asked nervously.

She looked from him to Paige and then to Piper but still kept her mouth shut. Paige was the first to realize what was wrong. "Oh god, we forgot. Uh… I know it's sort of a strange request, Chris… but uh… could you sort of say your secret out loud?"

Chris looked at Paige like she had lost her mind but complied without any regret. "I am Christopher Perry Halliwell, son of Piper and Leo and little brother to Wyatt."

"Oh my god," Phoebe finally blurted out. "I am never gonna let any of you put a spell on me again. Do you know what pure torture the last seven months has been on me? Do any of you realize?"

Chris' eyes had grown wide and he backed away slightly thinking his aunt had lost her marbles.

"Excuse us," Paige answered her voice dripping in sarcasm. "If you remember right the spell was your idea and you wrote it yourself."

"Wait, you cast a spell on her… so she couldn't do what?" Chris asked in surprise.

"So she couldn't spill your secret before you did," Piper explained also stepping back slightly. She remembered that she had helped write the spell also.

Chris nodded appreciatively. "I have to admit. It was probably a good idea."

Phoebe swung on him and marched up to him not inches in front of him. "Yeah, you say that now, but how do you think I felt when I thought you had ceased to exist right before my very eyes? I didn't think the pain would ever go away and then poof, you pop back in." She wasn't really mad at Chris. She just had been keeping it all bottled up for so very long now and it just had to come out. "But I am glad that you finally decided to join the family, where you belong." With that she hugged him tight and after he realized what she had said, and the fact that she wasn't gonna kill him he hugged her back.

"I'm glad I did too," he whispered for the first time in a very long time feeling as if things were finally going his way.

* * *

_A/N: There you go. Everyone knows all of the secrets. Well maybe. I might have a few more up my sleeve. You all didn't think this was the end of the fic did you? Oh know. I haven't forgotten about poor Wyatt. Chris was just the center of attention for these chapters. Now we must move on in the plot and figure out who turned Wyatt and why and see if we can fix things. Not to mention figuring out who is trying to have Chris killed and why. Believe me nothing you saw on the tv show is gonna help you with the answers to these questions. Well at least not most of them. So what do you think?_


	21. New Direction

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N: **Okay, I've had the lovey dovey family moment and everyone's gagged over it for a while so now it's time to move on to the rest of the plot. Hope ya'll enjoy the ride. It might be a bumpy one.

* * *

**Chapter 21 New Direction**

_January 2004_

Chris was sitting on the old comfortable couch in the attic going over a list of demons that they had vanquished since he arrived in this time. He had a pen poised in his hand tapping it against his teeth every so often as he stared at the page trying to figure out what their next move should be. What the next obvious threat might be. They had already vanquished so many of them. His list of possibilities was growing smaller. He sighed in frustration and tossed the notepad across the floor and then leaned back against the soft comfort of the couch closing his bloodshot eyes. "Note to self, sleep sometime in the next four months," he whispered.

"I'm sure whatever the notepad did, it's probably sorry, Chris," Piper called from the doorway just before she walked in.

He looked up and gave her a sheepish smile. He then retrieved the notepad, knowing she would if he didn't. He wasn't gonna make a pregnant woman pick up after him, that was for sure. Even if she was his mom. That just wouldn't be cool at all.

"So care to tell me what's bothering you?" she asked sitting on the couch next to him.

For the last month since Chris had learned that they knew who he was, she had thought that things were working out pretty well. She had convinced him to move into the manor, which was in her mind a major victory, even if he had insisted on staying up here in the attic instead of in one of the bedrooms below. He had refused to take either Paige or Phoebe's rooms, even though they had both offered, stating that he had a lot less stuff that would be displaced. Piper had realized exactly how true that was when he brought in two beat up duffle bags of cloths and that was it. He didn't own any other possessions it seemed. He had used the excuse of traveling light when she questioned him about living such a spartan existence.

Chris sat in thought for a moment trying to decide how to say what he was most worried about then. But before he could speak orbs formed in the space before them. "Hey," Leo smiled seeing that the two of the three people he most wanted to see were there. He looked around the room noticing that Wyatt wasn't there though. "Where's Wyatt?"

"He's taking a nap, but he should be up soon," Piper answered, leaning up as Leo bent to kiss her.

Chris turned his head in slight embarrassment rolling his eyes. No matter what timeline he was in it was still gross to watch his parents kiss.

Leo broke away from the kiss and had a seat on the arm of the couch next to Piper. "So what's up?" He looked expectantly at his wife and son, neither of which looked as enthused as he seemed.

"Well Chris was just about to tell me what is bothering him," Piper answered swinging her head back around to look at her son expectantly. "Weren't you, Chris?"

Chris smirked slightly. "Thought maybe you'd forgot," he whispered staring straight ahead. He hated to admit to his parents that he had made a rather large error in calculation when he decided to come back to this time, but truth be told. "I screwed up," he said not looking at either of them.

"Excuse me?" Piper asked frowning.

Leo also had no clue what he was talking about. But the fear that his son was blaming himself for something new bothered him greatly. Chris took way too much responsibility on his own shoulders that shouldn't have necessarily been his to bare. "Chris, whatever it is we can figure it out. Just tell us. Trust us to help you."

Chris smiled at his father and nodded a couple of times. He wasn't so used to being able to rely on others yet, but he was trying. "I just always thought that I'd somehow know. That whenever I got the demon that got to Wyatt, I'd know and then I could relax and concentrate on finding a way back. But I'm running out of demons to suspect. And nothing has seemed big enough to be the one." He paused for a moment placing his elbows on his knees and folding his hands together in front of him so he could rest his forehead on them.

Piper could see the tension in him. He seemed like a metal coil that was pulled too tight and at any moment might snap. She hesitantly reached out placing one hand on his upper back. He didn't flinch at her touch so she decided it was safe to go ahead and rub comforting circles between his shoulder blades. She could feel the tension there and wanted it to go away, but she just didn't know what he needed to hear. His concerns and worries were not trivial. She and Leo had been wondering along the same lines for the past couple of weeks but neither of them wanted to bring it up with Chris. Both were worried how hard he would take it if he thought they didn't have faith in him. And they did have faith in him. It was just the rest of the world that wasn't cooperating.

"I'm just not sure what to do now. I can't vanquish every demon in the underworld. And at this point I'm not even sure it was a demon. What if I'm completely wrong and it was something else that gets to Wyatt? What if I've been wasting all our time here?" He was so frustrated. When he had decided to come back to this time his plan had seemed so fool proof, but now he just wasn't sure anymore.

Piper leaned closer to him wrapping her arms around him and said the only thing she thought might help. "Oh, baby, you're doing everything you can. You aren't flawless and you aren't all knowing. There is no way that you can blame yourself for not figuring it out yet. And we will figure it out. Someway, somehow. Together."

Chris looked over to his mom and could see the faith she had. Faith in what they were doing and faith in him. In a way it was comforting to know she believed in him but then again it was frightening. What if he failed? He didn't want to disappoint her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. "I just wish there was a way for me to see into my time. That way I could tell if anything I've done here has made any difference at all. Maybe I've already changed things and I just don't know it."

"Well, why don't we divide and conquer?" Leo suggested an idea forming in his mind.

"What are you suggesting, Leo?" Piper asked curiously.

"Split into three groups. Phoebe and Paige could stay here and work out the rest of the demons on Chris' list. They are all low level demons and the girls shouldn't have any problems with them. You, Piper, can take Wyatt and go to Magic School to do some searching in the library. You never know. The threat might not be anything that the Halliwells ever encountered before. If that's the case you might find something to go on at Magic School. And Chris and I can work on a spell or a potion to try to see into his time period or even to travel there and back." Leo didn't mention the fact that he wanted Piper at the Magic School for her own protection. If he thought she'd agree he'd move her there until Chris was born, but he knew she would flatly refuse.

Chris liked the idea. He too had been worried about Piper and it had kept him at the Manor alot more than he used to be trying to be there if she or Wyatt needed protection. He gave his dad a smile and stood. "That's sounds like a great idea. Because I'm telling you right now, if I have already gotten the demon that gets to Wyatt and I don't know it, I'm gonna have to stick around here for the next fourteen or so years just to confirm it. And even though I'd enjoy spending the time with you, it might get a little bit confusing for mini-me once he starts to look like me."

"Yeah, see. I didn't think about that. And we thought you were neurotic in the original timeline." Piper quipped back giving him a teasing smile.

Chris gave her his best imitation of one of her own glares. "Such the comedian. Anyway, lets say we do this."

* * *

_January 2027_

"My Lord, here are the daily reports," an upper level demon said kneeling before his master waiting to be released to stand.

Wyatt stared at the reports in his hand and shook his head in disgust. "He's at it again," he whispered more to himself than anyone near as he motioned for the demon to stand. Galask was his most faithful of servants and the one who he had allowed grudgingly to take Chris' place as his second. And he was also the only demon that he would trust with the task of collecting these particular reports.

"Sire, he… who?" Galask asked hesitantly.

Wyatt hadn't realized that the demon had heard him. He knew he probably should tell the demon to mind his own business or not to assume so much trust from his master but instead he decided to let the demon in on what was concerning him most. "My brother."

Galask's face paled at the mention of his Lord's dishonored younger sibling. The entire demon world had come to the conclusion that Wyatt had killed his betrayer after their last meeting and the death of the Phoenix Witch. But if he wasn't dead then just where was he and how was he causing more trouble for Lord Wyatt? "Forgive my ignorance, My Lord, but I was under the impression that your bother was dead like the other's in the Halliwell line." With that the demon motioned around them. They were standing in the Halliwell family plot in the oldest cemetery in the city. Every day at dusk Galask reported there to deliver a report of all of the demons that Lord Wyatt commanded. The report explained which were still active and the ones that were vanquished that day, usually a very short list in their day and time and also a list of defeated foes, which gained in frequency and number each day.

"No, no my brother managed to escape my grasp and has gone back in time to try to change the events that we live with everyday. He is the reason for these reports. See my brother made one minor miscalculation. He assumed that if he changed something, I'd never be the wiser, but knowing what he was trying to do, I cast a spell that would allow me to remember both the events that happened before and the ones that he has changed." Wyatt hated the fact that he had no control over his brother's actions anymore. It was unnerving to look at his list of demon minions and watch them diminish everyday. Galask did not realize the number of followers Wyatt was losing to his brother's demon hunting in the past. It was staggering to see the difference his brother was making.

Galask was surprised to hear this information. He couldn't understand why his Lord hadn't just sent more demons into the past to kill his upstart of a brother. "And has he made much of a change, My Lord?"

Wyatt decided that he had probably given his second enough information that day. It wasn't something he normally did. He didn't want to have to kill the demon for knowing too much, but it had happened before. "More than I like, but less than I'm sure he thinks. Much less. That is enough for now. You are dismissed," he commanded and sent the demon away with a flick of his wrist.

Alone he walked through the graveyard until he reached the three headstones he visited almost daily since his brother had left. The stones were partially covered in moss and showed the wear of time and neglect. Wyatt had ordered that the caretaker leave the three graves alone as a sign to the outside world that he didn't need the Charmed Ones to be great. They were to be forgotten. The only memorial to them was the Manor house and that was more a memorial to the Halliwell line than to the actual three witches that capped it's greatest triumphs. Wyatt wanted the world to revere him as the strongest Halliwell ever to exist, even stronger than the Charmed Ones. And so their final resting place had been left uncared for and unkempt for many years now.

_Wyatt still remembered the day he had caught Chris trying to care for the graves himself. He had never even noticed as Wyatt shimmered in before him the only thing between them was his mother's gravestone._

"_Christopher, what do you think you are doing?" Wyatt asked casually as he leaned on the gravestone directly behind his mothers._

_Chris' eyes flew up to meet his brothers and they held more grief than Wyatt had seen in them in the four years since their deaths. "What does it look like I'm doing?" He was kneeling on his mother's grave weeding the small patch. His hands were covered in filth and he even had smudges of soil on his cheeks._

"_I ordered these graves to be untouched," Wyatt said calmly giving his brother the opportunity to make excuses and leave._

_But Chris wasn't about to do that. In the three years he had spent under his brother's thumb he had never once given in to any of his wishes before. He didn't know what would give Wyatt the mistaken impression that he'd start doing so now. He knew he was reckless with his own life but he found himself day after day finding new ways to defy his brother's authority. He snuck out of his brother's home as often as possible going to visit Grandpa Victor before the cancer took him away and since then to visit Bianca and even sometimes to meet with the resistance. Those were the times that it was most dangerous. But every time Wyatt would just send more demons to find him and bring him back. Many times he wondered when Wyatt's orders would be not to bring him back but that had yet to happen. "You ordered the caretaker not to touch these graves, not me," he said reaching out and removing a piece of moss from his mother's tombstone. _

"_And that didn't give you a hint that I wanted them left as is?" Wyatt asked his voice becoming tense, knowing his brother wasn't gonna take the easy way out._

_Chris leaned back on his haunches and wiped his hands on his jeans as he looked around the graveyard as if his brother's presence there made little difference to him. "Wyatt, you may be the lord of all evil in this world, but you are not the lord over me or my heart," he whispered quietly. He knew if he spoke any louder his voice would crack and he didn't want his brother to mistake his grief for fear. Because he wasn't afraid of him. Not any longer. He had given up on fear. It had no use in the world they lived in. To survive you had to be fearless and believe you were untouchable. In Wyatt's world fear was a comodity that was too dangerous to possess._

_Wyatt shook his head now caught up in more anger at his brother's defiance. He reached his hand out and waved it before him and through magic the grass Chris had been pulling grew back and moss crept from the ground up to cover the tombstone even worse than before. "I am the lord over everything, little brother. Even the ground you walk on, the wind in the skies, and the water in the oceans. You need to remember that."_

_Chris shook his head in disappointment and looked back up to his brother, reaching out and pulling another strand of moss from the stone. "You loved them once, Wyatt. What turned your love into hate?"_

_Wyatt snarled at his brother's words and actions and then swiped his hand out knocking Chris several feet from the stone and up against another in the row behind him. "Just leave the damn graves be, Chris." _

_With that Wyatt shimmered away and into an empty chamber in the underworld. He sat in the middle of the chamber and remembered the day he had found Chris holding their mother's body in that very chamber. He had loved her and the aunts too. He could remember it as if it was a dream. But it was so long ago and Chris was the only one he had left now. Why couldn't Chris understand that everything he did was for him? So he would never lose him. Oh there had been cousins. They were family too but somehow he had lost track of them. None of them had ever really mattered to him. Just Chris. Only Chris. Eventually the others had managed to get in the way of his minions and they had perished just as any being standing in his way should. But not Chris. Chris stood in his way often. But never Chris. _

He knew he should do something about his brother. Send more demons after him, maybe even go after him himself, but he discarded the ideas. No, let his brother try his hardest to change it all. It would never happen. Not the big stuff. Not the things that mattered the most. Chris didn't know why Wyatt was the way he was. He had no earthly idea, and he never would and things would continue just as they had before. "Sorry to disappoint you, little brother, but someday you'll come back and this time I'll keep you here where you belong, but only after you've learned what the meaning of loyalty really is."

* * *

_A/N: Ah and the plot moves on. Everyone has a direction and everyone has a task. And look at that I even included another memory, but this time it was Wyatt's. I thought the poor guy deserved a little screen time too. And before you ask, I know Chris thought he'd prevented the Event when he killed that demon. But unfortunately future boy is not always right. But you have to wait a couple of chapters or so to find out why._

_And as warning I might not get to update again until the weekend. Yes I know this is just Tuesday and I almost always update every day but tomorrow is Halloween and Thursday I have a birthday party to host and Friday I have carpets to shampoo. I might squeeze another chapter in between all of that but if I don't I apologize._


	22. Halliwell Power

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Well I actually managed another chapter before the weekend. No I don't need sleep. Sleep is for wimps. I'll sleep when I die. Anyhow, thanks for all the continued support guys. I'm enjoying the comments so much.

* * *

**Chapter 22 Halliwell Power**

"Okay, so how did we manage to get this task?" Paige asked in annoyance as they prepared to summon the third demon on Chris' list of possibilities.

"I don't know, but this is getting to be just gross," Phoebe answered still trying to wipe demon goo from her favorite pair of shoes.

Paige was putting the finishing touches on the vanquishing potion they'd need for this particular demon. "You know, we could have written that spell and Chris could be here vanquishing the demons."

Phoebe looked up sadly at her sister and sighed. "Paige, don't you think Chris deserves a little break when it comes to the demon vanquishing department? How many demons do you figure he's vanquished since he's been here?"

Paige hadn't thought about it that way but Phoebe was right. Chris never did seem to get a break. "Not to mention how many he probably vanquished in his own time. Yeah, you're right. You know what though?" she asked sadly.

"What, hon?" Phoebe usually didn't sense her sister's emotions since they had taken the empath blocking potion months before but every once in a while the stronger emotions would slip through. Right then she sensed a great deal of sadness from her sister.

"If they can make that spell and we find out that the future is fixed, that'll mean that Chris has to go back there." Paige didn't have to say anything else. Phoebe understood exactly what she was getting at.

"I'll miss him too, honey," she whispered walking to her sister and wrapping her in a hug.

"We've only really had a month with him actually being our nephew. I mean, we knew before that but we could never show that we knew. I haven't had enough time to spoil him, or just to sit and get to know the Chris who's not a neurotic demon hunter." Even in the month they had with him, Chris hadn't let up on his demon hunting tasks and that meant that whenever they talked it was mostly about demons. None of them really got to talk about him. They really never had the time to get to know what he was like.

"Paige, we have a whole lifetime to get to know Chris. We even get to influence who he'll become," Phoebe said and Paige knew she was referring to baby Chris.

"I know, but somehow I don't think it will be quite the same. I'm sure we'll love baby Chris as much as we do this Chris but he'll be different in some ways. The things we survive in life effect who we are and what we become. Baby Chris won't have things quite as hard as this Chris did, so he won't be affected in the same ways." Paige had been thinking a lot about the whole changing the past thing and had decided that she definitely wouldn't like the not knowing part of making changes.

"I don't really like thinking of them as two separate people, Paige. It's confusing enough as it is, without thinking that way. But I do know that even if baby Chris is different, we'll see this Chris again in twenty some odd years. I mean, remember what Leo said. Chris will return to his own time with both sets of memories." None of them had liked that idea to begin with. They hated the fact that Chris would have to remember the pain of his past, but they could all see that he had grown into a good man despite it and if he thought he could handle the knowledge then they would support him when the time came and he merged with the new Chris in the future.

"I wonder if that ever scares him. Knowing that he'll never be able to completely lose his past." Paige figured that she'd hate the idea herself, but she wasn't Chris.

"I'm sure it does," Phoebe answered sadly. "But now we need to get back to work before the neurotic taskmaster figures out that we are slacking," she added teasingly.

"Yes, we wouldn't want another lecture from our Nephew to be." With that the girls began to chant the spell to summon the next demon.

* * *

Piper knew this was just busy work. She had no doubt in her mind that her husband and son had sent her to Magic School to keep her out of danger. It was just like the two of them to do something like that. But she had to admit for baby Chris' sake she did feel a lot safer there. She hadn't admitted to any of them how terrified she had been ever since her time spent below with the demon who almost killed her unborn child. That one event had done more to shake her up than anything they had faced since becoming the Charmed Ones. It had nearly destroyed her when she had lost Prue but she had moved on and continued with her life anyway. It still hurt to think of it but she had accepted it. But if she had lost her child to that demon, she knew there would have been no turning back. She would not have been able to continue. Oh she would have lived through it. She would have had to for Wyatt's sake, but she would have been done with magic forever. She had lost her mother and a sister to magic but she'd never abide losing a child to it too.

But she had to keep reminding herself that she didn't lose Chris. He was safe and whole and she would do whatever it took to keep him that way. So if that meant doing busy work at Magic School then so be it.

"Piper, I didn't realize you were here," A man's voice spoke behind her back. She turned to find Gideon standing in the door of the library.

"Gideon, hello. I hope you don't mind me being here. I need to do some research, if it's all right with you," she asked cordially. She had to keep reminding herself that even though he was an Elder, he had helped them several times before.

"Why of course I don't mind. Leo is one of my dearest friends and any member of his family is more than welcome to my school and all of the knowledge it might hold for them," Gideon answer smiling brightly at her. "Is there anything I might help you with?"

Piper paused a moment. She knew that Leo had told his friend and Mentor about most everything that was happening in their lives at that time. With Chris' secret revealed Leo had finally decided to ask the advice of the one Elder he knew he could trust. "Well the truth is that Chris and Leo thought that maybe our assumption that a demon turns Wyatt might be a little too narrow minded. So I need to look into other options. Other magical creatures and such. They thought that maybe I might find something here."

Gideon crossed his arms and then ran his fingers along his chin in a way that made it seem he was deep in thought. "That is an interesting theory. One I haven't considered myself. They might be on to something there. I'd be happy to help you find the books you are searching for."

"I would greatly appreciate that, Gideon," Piper said thankfully.

They searched for and found several books for Piper to search through but then Gideon excused himself, saying that he needed to confer with the Elders on another matter. Piper thanked him for his help and he orbed away. "Maybe not all Elders are so bad," she mused then went back to her reading.

* * *

"Chris, I really think if we combine a potion with a Power of Three spell we should be able to open a portal to see through," Leo suggested as he sat on the couch next to his son in the Family Room. Chris had pen and paper in hand and was trying to figure out the perfect way to write the spell.

"I say I just reword the spell that I used to come back here and go back to my own time," Chris suggested. He knew it would be easier than trying to create a viewing portal in time.

Leo shook his head looking away from Chris. He didn't want to admit that he wasn't ready for Chris to go. He knew it was selfish of him, but still… He hadn't had enough time with his son yet and if Chris arrived in the future and things were changed for the better Chris wouldn't be coming back to them. But he couldn't tell Chris that that was his reason for not wanting to send him back. It wouldn't be right and it would be very selfish of him. So he decided on another reason that bothered him just as much. "Chris, I'm worried about doing that. If things aren't changed, your brother might be waiting there for you. I don't want to risk losing you on a chance like that."

Chris understood his father's fears. He too knew that Wyatt would be waiting for him. A portal through time was enough of a disturbance in magic that Wyatt would sense it the moment it opened in their timeline. "All right. We'll try the viewing portal first. At least Wyatt couldn't use it to come here. I wonder if he's figured out how to reconstruct the time travel spell that I took when I left? You'd think if he had, he would have come and tried himself to bring me back. Maybe he just hasn't tried to yet." Chris shrugged at the notion but something told him that Wyatt wouldn't wait forever. But then he thought to add, "I am gonna go ahead and reword the time travel spell too, just in case things are fixed in my timeline."

Leo ignored the last statement. He still didn't want to consider that option. He had been meaning to ask a question thought even if it was a very touchy subject for them. "Chris, if Wyatt were ever to come to our time, do you think he'd do anything to hurt his family?" It was a fear that had been growing in Leo with ever day that passed since he had learned that his son would be evil someday unless they stopped it. Would Wyatt consider killing his aunts or even his mother to keep them from changing him?

Chris wasn't exactly sure how to answer that. He wanted to say no, that he had never seen Wyatt hurt a member of their family, but truth be told many of his cousins had died at his brother's orders. Not to mention the many times that Wyatt had inflicted pain on Chris himself. "I wish I could say no..." He didn't go on with the statement though. It was just too painful to consider it too much. "I'm sorry."

Leo could sense his son's distress over the subject. "You know, Chris, I'm here if you ever need to talk. I know your timeline was very difficult on you." Leo wished that there were some way to get Chris to open up. They hadn't really spoken about any of the painful parts of Chris' life. Chris had avoided them at all costs. But was that the best thing for him? Leo didn't think so.

Chris sat stock-still and thought about his father's words. His father was offering him so much but he knew he couldn't do that. Not yet, not now. He swallowed hard and stared at the coffee table in front of him, not looking at his dad. "I really wish I could do that, Dad," he said softly, "but I just can't."

Leo's head dropped slightly and he nodded in defeat slowly. "Okay, Chris. I understand."

Chris could hear the pain in his father's voice and he turned to him. "Don't get me wrong, Dad. I love talking to you. And I trust you with anything I have to say. It's just that… well I just can't think about any of that right now. I'm afraid that if I give in and let myself get too wrapped up in it, that I'll forget why I came here. I can't ever let myself give up. And at times when I start to dwell on the bad things too much it becomes very tempting to just say it's too hard and quit. That's actually the way I felt in the Tribunal Chamber. I don't like feeling that way."

Chris hadn't mentioned the chamber since the day they had told him the truth. He hadn't asked what they'd seen or even how those things had affected them. And Leo hadn't tried to talk about it either. He had figured that the subject made him feel too uncomfortable to speak of. "We made you want to give up and quit, didn't we?" he asked realizing just how far they had pushed Chris. Chris was strong and he was tough. Leo had begun to see him as the most driven person he'd ever known but to see that his son had wanted to give up instead of deal with the pain they put him through, it was a hard fact to deal with.

Chris didn't want to make his father feel guilty though. "It was just a build up over time. It was getting to me. It's probably a good thing that I passed out when I did. Then when I woke up and things were different, it was sort of like part of the weight was lifted from my shoulders."

"I still wish we had never done that to you, Chris. Especially the things I did. You deserved a lot better, and not just because you are family. You deserved better because of the type of person you are and the things you were doing to help us. None of us could see past our own suspicions to see that though. I'm sorry, Chris." Leo hadn't really had a chance to apologize to Chris for all of the bad stuff so now he wanted to take the time and make sure he did so before Chris left them for good. He didn't want there to be any residual tension between them in the future.

Chris considered stopping his father. He didn't want his father to feel like he owed him an explanation or an apology. He just wanted him to be his father and to stay the way he was now whenever it came time to be a father to little Chris. That would be enough for Chris. But he also understood the amount of guilt his father was carrying around at all times and some of that guilt needed to be assuaged and the only way to do it was to say his peace on it. Once his father was done he gave him one of those dazzling smiles that were so rare for him. "Dad, we're cool. Just don't ever change on me, okay."

Leo was amazed by how easily Chris accepted his apology and forgave him. But he realized that somewhere deep inside Chris had always wanted to forgive him, even when he was furious with him. He always sought his father's love and approval. It was just so sad that he had had to travel back in time to before he was even born to gain it. "I promise, Chris, I'll always care for you as much as I do today."

"That's all I can ask. Now don't you think we should get this spell done before Paige and Phoebe accuse us of slacking?" he asked thinking it was a rather ironic thought. Usually it was him that was accusing them of slacking.

* * *

They all gathered in the attic while Leo orbed to Magic School to collect Piper.

"Are you nervous?" Phoebe asked Chris. She could see that he was chewing his bottom lip in nervousness. He was standing staring at the wall where he'd just drawn a smaller version of the Triquetra. They didn't neeed the full sized symbol for just a viewing portal so the smaller one would do for now.

"Maybe a little bit," he answered turning to her. Everything rested on this one day. Things could go good but then again they could go very wrong too. What if he hadn't affected anything? That thought was devastating.

"Hey, don't worry so much. We aren't giving up hope yet," Phoebe said encouragingly.

Paige had come over to join the conversation. "Chris, if things are fixed in your timeline are you gonna go back immediately?" She couldn't help asking it. Phoebe gave her a dark look but she didn't care. "What, I want to know?"

Chris looked at his aunt and smiled. "I wish I could stay longer, Paige. But I'm afraid that the longer I stay the more chance there is that I'll mess something else up and have even worse consequences."

Paige's face took on a wistful look. "I understand. I just think I might miss you. I mean who's gonna get my butt up and force me to go demon hunting, at all hours of the night and day, after your gone?"

Chris shook his head in exasperation at her snide comment. "I'm sure you'll survive. And I'll miss you too." He realized that this kind of humorous banter was just what he needed to calm his frazzled nerves. And she never even realized she was helping him, that was the best part about his aunt Paige. She always knew how to cheer him up without even really trying.

At that moment Leo and Piper orbed back in. He could see that Piper's eyes and nose were slightly reddened. Leo had offered to break the news to her that if this portal showed them what they wanted to see that Chris would be leaving. Chris walked over to her and she wrapped him in a tight hug. "It's not fair," she whispered.

He pulled back and looked at her questioningly but didn't ask. "I guess I never really thought about you leaving," she whispered not yet letting go of him.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he said hugging her again tightly. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. I might not be going anywhere yet." All of them were hoping that things had been changed but none of them could deny the fact that having Chris there for a short time longer would be good too.

Phoebe had been standing by the table in the center of the room and was reading over the spell that Chris had written. "Chris, not to try to tell you what to do but this spell isn't exactly right."

Chris pulled away from his mother rolling his eyes. Phoebe always was a know-it-all when it came to spell writing. But he knew better than to argue with her. "Just change what needs to be changed, Pheebs." He sighed in exasperation as he pulled the vial of potion out of his jeans pocket.

Phoebe made some quick changes and then joined her sisters in front of the Triquetra symbol. Chris handed Paige the potion and stepped back waiting patiently.

"All right, lets do this," Piper said looking over the spell once.

Paige threw the potion vial against the wall and they began to chant the complex spell.

_To see forward through time  
We the Powers Three  
__Call the Halliwell line  
__To the strongest powers be_

_Show on this darkest night  
__Show us what we need  
__Give us the sight  
__So that new memories may be freed_

_Mattering not what the passage  
__Through time to travel  
__Send us a future message  
__So the secrets may unravel_

Chris had been listening to the chant and frowned for a moment at the changes Phoebe had made but once the Triquetra began to glow he didn't have another thought. It had worked. But then his eyes widened in surprise as the symbol seemed to stretch in size to almost as big as the one he used for time travel. His mouth gaped when he realized what it was doing. Then the part of the spell that had bothered him clicked in his mind. "Oh god no. Phoebe, what was that forth line again?"

She looked at him in confusion but before she could answer a dark clad figure appeared in the center of the Triquetra and the man wore a smug smile as he stepped down onto the attic floor. "What a bold move, Chris. Never thought you'd do something like this."

Everyone in the room stood in complete silence staring at the familiar figure from the future. Chris closed his eyes for a moment in exasperation. "Actually not my idea, Wy. We can thank Phoebe for this one." He looked sideways towards his aunt, who had a 'who me' look plastered on her face. "Aunt Pheebs, meet the strongest power from the Halliwell line."

"Oh," was all she could manage to say but then decided to defend herself anyway. "You said I could change the spell."

Wyatt had started laughing and the sound chilled them all to the bone. "So, now you got me here, what are you gonna do with me?" he asked crossing his arms across his chest with a look of smug satisfaction crossing his face. He knew none of them could truly do anything that would harm him and he was finding it rather amusing that they had blundered so badly. He had sort of missed this side of his family. The side that seemed almost inept when it came to getting things right.

Piper and Leo were both shocked into inaction and Chris was working through ideas in his mind but Paige was the first one to react. "Crystals," she yelled and swiped her hand out towards Wyatt. The protection crystals she always kept in a box in the attic sprung forward and surrounded Wyatt forming a barrier between him and them.

He looked unimpressed by the action. "Nice to see you again too, Aunt Paige."

* * *

_A/N: Yes I did really do that. That is evil Wyatt standing in the attic. I know, it's not all that original a plot point. It's been done a million times before but I'm hoping that what I do with it might make up for that fact. So please bear with me a bit longer. And yes that was a nice little Cliffhanger too. I hope you enjoyed it. The chapter that is, not the Cliffhanger._


	23. Getting Angry

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Well I got this chapter done faster than I thought I would. Coolness. I hope you all enjoy it. Surprises ahead.

* * *

**Chapter 23 Getting Angry**

"What did we just do?" Piper asked in a panicky voice. How had things gone so wrong? She could feel her heart start to pound wildly in her chest as she stared at her oldest son. She could see some of the features of her toddler in the man before her, but the coldness in his eyes petrified her.

"Come, Mother. Don't you want to welcome your oldest son with open arms?" Wyatt asked with a smirk crossing his features. He wasn't moving at all. Just standing there as if this was just a small inconvenience for him.

Leo stepped closer to Piper protectively. "Chris, I don't understand how this happened. The spell we wrote should have only opened a viewing portal."

Wyatt turned to his father and a strange look crossed his face for a moment. "Chris, is Dad really asking for your input on something? My that is a change, isn't it?"

Chris gave his brother a loathing glare and ignored him. "When Phoebe called on the strongest power of the Halliwell line the spell didn't differentiate between timelines, so it adjusted to bring a messenger, so to speak, back to our timeline. Someone who would be able to unravel all the future secrets."

"Oh god. Chris, I am so sorry. I had never imagined it would do that," Phoebe said covering her mouth with both her hands. She had made some big mistakes in her time when it came to spell writing but never quite this catastophic before.

"It's okay, Phoebe. It's not your fault. I should have taken a look at the spell again before you said it. It's not something you would have noticed." Chris wasn't about to start pointing fingers and he also knew how Phoebe prided herself on her spell writing ability. He didn't want her to lose confidence in herself. But most of all they had to stay focused on the problem at hand. They had a very serious situation to correct.

It hadn't escaped him that Wyatt was very much still his evil self. That was one part of his mission that was a failure so far. It was very disappointing to say the least. But they still had to someway figure out if he'd changed anything else from his timeline. He was very concerned with whether or not killing the demon who killed his mother in the future would make any difference at all. "So, Wyatt, how are things going back in our timeline?"

Wyatt smirked. "I bet you'd like to know, now wouldn't you?" he asked giving his brother a 'cat that swallowed the canary' look. "You know, you made a mistake, brother."

Chris frowned at that statement. What kind of mistake could he have made that would give Wyatt so much cause to gloat over? "I can see that you are just dying to gloat over something. Go right ahead and do so."

"You think that you are changing the future and that I won't know any different, don't you? That I'll just go about life as if nothing was amiss. Don't count on it little brother." Wyatt grinned broadly. When Chris didn't answer he continued. "Do you remember that little spell that Mom and the Aunts used when the Cleaners tried to erase me? The one that let them remember me and made them redo that day over." Wyatt paused to let Chris digest that then went on. "The rewrite on it was so easy you know. Now I have both my original memories and the one's you've changed. It's quite fun to see your pitiful attempts to change time. And believe me they are pitiful."

Chris blanched at that. Wyatt knew exactly what was changed and what wasn't and that was information that Chris wanted. "So tell me what I've changed then."

Wyatt snorted at that and looked around the attic not even bothering to respond.

Chris could see how unresponsive his brother was gonna be but he knew how to change that. It was a dangerous game to play, but he had no intention of losing. He walked forward to within just a few feet of where Wyatt was caged and nodded slightly to his father. Leo followed him and they ended up standing next to each other. "Well, Dad, you were curious as to what he was really like when we were talking earlier. Here's your chance for an up close and personal view."

Leo was shocked by the words. What was Chris trying to do? He couldn't even imagine but decided to follow his son's lead trusting in him to know how to handle his own brother. He did have twenty or so more years of experience in this case. "So this is the ruler of all evil in your timeline?" Leo asked not sure if that was how Chris wanted him to play it. He glanced first at Chris then stared hard at Wyatt crossing his arms over his chest and tilting his head as if looking at a very interesting spectacle.

Chris smiled. His father was doing just as he hoped. He moved even closer to Leo so their shoulders were almost touching. "It's no wonder I wanted to come back and change things, huh?" He leaned in closer to his father as if he was sharing a conspiratorial moment with him. He knew exactly how that would affect his brother.

"My, aren't we chummy, now." Wyatt's voice dripped with malice seeing how close his brother and father seemed to be now. It was not at all what he expected.

"Why shouldn't we be? He's my father, isn't he?" Chris asked clapping one hand on his father's shoulder.

Leo finally understood where Chris was going with this. Wyatt had always protected Chris from him and now Chris acted as if he no longer needed Wyatt for that. It might just make him angry enough to lose his composure. Leo gave Chris a huge smile full of happiness and pride in his son. "Always will be too." It wasn't hard to see the look of affection on Leo's face for his youngest son.

Wyatt almost snarled at the words. Not only had Chris betrayed him by coming back to try to change things but now he was siding with the one person that they had always thought of as a common enemy. After all the times Wyatt had protected Chris from their father's mistreatment… It was too much for him to bear. "You are so naïve, Chris. I thought you were smarter than to fall for his sugary words." With that he started to send energy balls at the barrier surrounding him. The crystal cage absorbed the energy but they all knew it wouldn't last too long against a witch as powerful as Wyatt.

"Oops, not exactly what I had in mind," Chris said as he and Leo backed away slightly.

"Are you two just trying to piss him off?" Piper asked from where she stood several feet behind them.

Chris looked at Leo and they both shrugged slightly. "Um, sort of," he answered.

"I think it's working." Paige said moving towards the couch on the other end of the attic, pulling Piper with her. She wanted to be ready to dive for cover in case the crystals failed.

"We have to find a way to diffuse him and keep him under control, while we get the answers we want," Leo surmised.

"Good idea. Why don't you figure that one out," Phoebe commented and then joined her sisters near the couch.

Chris looked at Leo as an idea came to mind that might work to their advantage. "Dad, the chamber." He hoped his father would realize what he was talking about. "You know where we were eight months ago." Leo looked at him in confusion for a moment and then a silent understanding passed between them. Leo nodded and he and Chris both walked casually over to the crystal cage that was barely keeping Wyatt contained. Each of them stood to one side of the cage and stared casually at Wyatt.

"You know, you won't be able to keep me here forever, don't you?" Wyatt asked with that cocky devious smile of his that was half smile and half snarl as he paused in attacking the barrier.

"Maybe we won't have to," Chris said glancing at Leo once again. At that moment Chris tk'd one of the crystals away breaking the cage just as Leo reached out grabbing Wyatt and orbing away. Chris immediately followed.

The three sisters stood in silent shock on the other end of the attic. Piper turned to Paige grabbing her arm. "Hurry, follow." Phoebe just barely had enough time to grab her sister's other arm as they sped off after the men in their family.

Leo and Wyatt appeared in the chamber first and Leo immediately sent out a silent call never letting go of his son, who seemed stunned. Four floating heads appeared in the air above the chamber, surprised. "I need the chamber again. Same as last year," Leo called and the Tribunal members nodded and disappeared.

At that moment Chris orbed in followed shortly by the sisters. Wyatt pulled his arm free of his father and scowled. "Mistake, now I'm free." He raised his hand expecting an energy ball to form in his palm but nothing appeared there. "What!" he bellowed in rage trying to shimmer away but nothing happened. "Where are my powers?"

Leo crossed his arms over his chest smugly. "You don't have any, at least not until midnight. I'd say that's just under an hour from now." It wasn't as much time as he had had with Chris but it would have to be enough. How ironic it was though. They were back where it all started.

Piper threw her arms out testing her powers and again nothing happened. "Yeah, but same as last time, we don't have any either."

The smug smile slipped from Leo's lips. He hadn't thought to stipulate that change. His only thought had been to contain his son.

Wyatt seemed to draw that smug smile into himself and immediately struck out hitting his father on the jaw knocking him half way across the room. He would have continued his attack but Chris stepped in front of him both hands on his brother's chest. "No, Wy! I won't let you hurt him."

The girls had made their way to Leo and were trying to help him up as he clasped his jaw which hurt like hell.

Wyatt looked at Chris a look of confusion covering his face. "After everything that bastard did to you, you're still gonna protect him."

Chris and Leo both flinched at those words. Leo again felt the overwhelming sense of guilt that had been his since he found out Chris was his son. Chris on the other hand just shook his head backing away slightly not wanting to be in such close proximity to his brother. "He's not the same man, Wyatt." It had taken Chris a long time to realize that but over the past eight months Leo had proved to him that he wasn't and that he could be counted on when ever he was needed and more than that Chris knew just how much he was loved by his father and it was more than he had ever dared to dream of.

"He just hasn't become that man yet. You just wait and see. No matter what you change here, history will repeat itself. He doesn't have a choice," Wyatt scowled deeply. He knew so much more than Chris did but there was no way he was gonna reveal what he'd learned. At one time he would have gladly told Chris about it, but not since he had betrayed him. No, Chris could just go on thinking he knew what was what in their world and Wyatt would keep his secrets to himself.

Chris knew his brother better than anyone else alive and somehow he felt that there was so much more Wyatt wasn't saying. "What are you hiding from me?" he asked walking up to his brother again standing within inches of him. He had to look up a couple of inches but he stared his brother straight in the eye and wouldn't look away daring him to do something.

Wyatt couldn't believe his brother was actually willing to physically challenge him. This was so unlike what he was used to seeing from his brother. Chris always had defied him but it was more in a psychological manner, never physical. "Chris, I outweigh you by at least fifty pounds and can wipe the floor with you when you are powerless. Don't test me!" Wyatt warned.

"Wyatt, several years ago I wouldn't have even considered it. But I've got a lot more to fight for now, don't I?" Chris knew it would sound like false bravado but he meant every word of it.

"Chris, be careful," Piper called out in fear. She could see just how much stronger Wyatt looked and she wouldn't fool herself into believing that Wyatt would be prone to sparing his brother any pain.

"I'll be fine, Piper," Chris answered her not realizing he had slipped into the old habit of caller her by her name instead of Mom.

"Still can't call her Mom, I see," Wyatt taunted. That was one wound of Chris' that he was sure would always remain raw and painful.

Chris shook his head at the pitiful attempt to hurt him. It still did hurt some to think of Piper as his Mom but he had long since dealt with that pain. "Don't you worry, Wy. Mom and I are just fine."

Piper couldn't help herself smiling at that statement. Every time Chris called her Mom it was music to her ears. After seven months of praying to hear the word it still now made her pause. But she loved hearing it.

"My, my. A little over a year ago when you left our time you were close to being a complete basket case anytime any of them were even mentioned. Things must be going well in this timeline," Wyatt had decided that a little mental torture before the physical pain was in order.

"Things change," was all Chris was willing to say, not taking his brother's bait.

"So, you've dealt with their deaths?" Wyatt asked casually hoping to hear some shocked gasps.

Chris felt as if a knife was shoved into his heart at those words. He had hoped and prayed that he had changed it. Chris could also see the disappointment in his family around him. He didn't want to give Wyatt more fuel for his tormenting though. "I'm good at dealing with stuff, now aren't I?"

"Oh but what about them. Did you tell them that they died on your fourteenth birthday?" From the looks he had seen on their faces Wyatt wasn't sure if they knew or not.

Paige caught onto what Chris was doing and decided to help out. "Sorry to burst your bubble, kiddo, but we already know that one," Paige said nonchalantly. "Won't happen. Chris and Leo won't let it."

"Chris, I'm surprised you let that one slip, with future consequences and all," Wyatt said in surprise but his face had taken on a look that said he knew so much more than the rest of them did.

"I didn't exactly have a choice," Chris answered looking back at the rest of his family. He noticed that they all sort of looked down in embarrassment.

"Did we mention that we were sorry, Chris?" Phoebe asked weakly.

Chris just smiled at her. "You know I'm okay with it now, Aunt Pheebs," he said assuring her.

"I bet that is an interesting story. I wonder how much torment they've put you through since you came here." Wyat had caught onto the tension between Chris and his family but he wasn't quite sure what had caused it. "Anyhow, that's beside the point, because it will happen again. And none of you can stop it," Wyatt said coldly smiling at his little brother.

"I can," Leo pointed out. He had made it back to his feet but was still clenching his sore jaw. He had to admit that Wyatt packed a lot harder punch than Chris did. "I know this time around, and when Chris calls there won't be any hesitation."

Wyatt just smiled even larger. "You think?"

Chris was starting to get a bad feeling about this. Wyatt definitely knew something that he wasn't telling. They were standing on one of the tiles adjacent to the middle tile with Wyatt having his back towards it. It was a chance but Chris knew it was one he'd have to take. "Wyatt, what secret are you keeping from me?" he asked and then shoved his brother backward into the center tile.

Wyatt was shocked for a moment but as soon as he recovered from it he started forward to attack his brother, but in that second an image projected on top of him and he had to move so as not to be standing in the middle of it. He stared at it in shock realizing it was one of his memories.

* * *

_A/N: Oh another little cliffhanger. My, am I living up to my penname now? I think I am. So anyone imagine we'd be back in the tribunal chamber by now? Hope not. That was supposed to be a big shock. So what secret does Wyatt hold that might shed a little light on the situation? Next chapter, you'll find out. Should be up tomorrow or the next day._


	24. Reasons Why

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended

A/N: Well I guess I lived up to my name on the last chapter. How many people called me evil again? Ah, I deserved it but does that mean I'll ever change? Probably not. Well without further ado here is Wyatt's memory.

* * *

**Chapter 24 Reasons Why**

_A year younger and maybe only slightly less angry at everything, Wyatt stood atop the Golden Gate Bridge. His eyes were closed and it was easy to see he was mumbling a spell under his breath. Within seconds five figures appeared on the bridge before him and then his shield came up encompassing all of them._

"_Wyatt, what is going on here?" Leo asked in confusion seeing four of the Elders he had known for many years standing near him on the bridge. _

_One of the Elders, Wyatt believed was named Zola, tried to orb out but immediately found himself slammed back to the bridges surface. "What is this?"_

"_None of you can orb out. I've adjusted my shield to hold people in along with keeping other's out. So calling for help will do you no good either. And don't attempt to attack me. My powers are strong enough to deflect your attack right back at you," Wyatt explained wanting them to all have fair warning. He really didn't want to have to kill any of them before he was ready to._

"_You can't do this. We are Elders. Leo stop him," Zola said in anger._

"_Just shut up," Wyatt said throwing his hand out and tossing the Elder against the edge of the shield. "Right now, I just want to talk to him." He motioned to his father. The other Elders stood back in complete silence. There had been run-ins among the Elders and Wyatt before. None of them were willing to risk their existence against him._

"_What is this about, Wyatt? You haven't ever attacked the Elders before," Leo asked in worry. For many years now Leo had stood back along with most of the other Whitelighters and Elders watching the devastation his son was visiting on the world. A few of them had tried to stop him at first but once they realized that he had grown strong enough to destroy them they had drawn back to 'up there' and waited for something or someone else to come along with a solution._

"_This is about what you did yesterday," Wyatt said scowling darkly. "Did you think that I wouldn't figure it out? He was devastated. Only you can do that to him."_

_Leo looked away with a disgusted look on his face. "All I did was go talk to your brother. I'm assuming he told you all kinds of convincing lies about the things I said." Leo had hoped that he could convince Chris to do something about his brother. He was after all the only person who still had Wyatt's confidence. But Chris for the most part had refused to discuss the matter with his father all together. Leo knew that some of the things he had said were very harsh but didn't Chris deserve it? As far as Leo could see he was doing nothing to stop his brother's tirade on the planet._

"_No, no he didn't. He wouldn't tell me a thing. I guess he thinks he's somehow still protecting you," Wyatt snorted in derision. "He should hate you after everything you've done, but still, he just can't. It makes no sense to me. You treat him like dirt and he protects you and I treat him like family and he won't even consider taking my side in this war."_

"_Boy does he have you fooled. He's not protecting me. He just doesn't want to deal with what I said. And he won't take sides in this war because he's a coward," Leo shot back in disgust._

Leo had walked forward during the image watching himself and loathing his actions with every word. Once he was close enough he reached out and laid one hand on Chris' shoulder. Chris flinched slightly looking at his father, with pain in his eyes. "Chris, that's not how I feel and you know it. I'm not going to become that man and I'm never gonna treat you that way. I've told you how I feel about you and I know it takes a lot of bravery to come back here and to do the things you've done, all for someone who doesn't know how to appreciate it." The last statement was directed towards Wyatt but he didn't let his eyes leave Chris.

Chris just nodded as tears welled in his eyes but he refused to let them fall and then he looked back to the image. No matter how much he told himself that his father loved him now it became hard when he was forced to think of single events from his past that had hurt so much at the time. Not many of the conversations he had with his father in the future had ever left him with anything but pain.

"Awe, how touching," Wyatt added sarcastically from Chris' other side but kept staring at the memory. It still fascinated him even now to try to figure out the dynamics of his brother and father's relationship.

_"Thought that might have been some of what you said. You know, father, I once promised Chris that if you ever hurt him again, I'd kill you," Wyatt said nonchalantly raising his hand as an energy ball appeared there. He bounced the ball back and forth like a juggler would do and looked deviously at his father. "But since I know Chris would not like me to do that, no matter what you do to hurt him, I think I'll just hit you where it will hurt the most." With that he let the energy ball fly and it hit one of the four Elders, standing idly by watching them. The energy ball was not quite strong enough to kill the Elder but Wyatt knew that several such balls would do the trick. With that he systematically started tossing energy balls at all four of the Elders. Oh they tried to defend themselves, but every time they attempted to use their electric current attack on him he just deflected it to one of the others._

_Before it was over with there was only one Elder left living along with Leo who had been defenseless as a Whitelighter and could not help them. Zola was down on his knees pleading for mercy in front of Wyatt. "Mercy. You want mercy. Why in the world would I grant you mercy?" Wyatt asked playing with his prey._

"_I know things. Things about your family. About why your father hates your brother," Zola at that point was willing to tell anything to save himself._

_Leo was trying to deal with the devastation he felt at his son's killing spree of some of his closest friends but those words brought him out of the grief slightly and drew his attention. "My family?"_

_Wyatt looked to his father and was tempted to just kill the Elder to complete his revenge but he truly was intrigued at the possibility of finding more insight into his father and brother's relationship. "Go on. If I like what I hear, I might let you live."_

_Zola paled visibly but started speaking without further prompting. "We really had no choice. We couldn't risk what we knew could happen. Leo was too good a Whitelighter to lose like we did Sam."_

_Wyatt seemed to be confused at the statement but Leo understood whom they were speaking of. "Patty's Whitelighter, Sam."_

"_What does Aunt Paige's father have to do with Chris?" Wyatt asked angrily his patience wearing thin._

"_We lost Sam for many years after Patty died and then even after we got him back he always put Paige above his duties. We couldn't risk the same thing happening to Leo," Zola explained in a rush. _

"_What did you do?" Wyatt was beginning to get suspicious as an inkling of a notion slipped into his mind._

"_We knew that if we allowed Leo to become too attached to his family that one day he would eventually clip his own wings to be with them. So we cast an enchantment on him," Zola was trembling in fear knowing how well his words would be accepted._

"_And what did this enchantment do?" Wyatt asked his voice deceptively calm._

"_We cast it not long before Chris was born. It was designed to work slowly to dissolve the link between Leo and Chris. That way he would never expect something had been done to him." Zola swallowed hard realizing that his own words were probably signing his death warrant. "By the time Chris was four years old Leo could no longer sense or hear Chris when he called and the enchantment was designed to make him not even care that he couldn't. Eventually his feelings for Chris were just gone replaced with annoyance and dislike. As if Chris was an intruder in the family he already cared for."_

_Leo blinked in horror at what the Elders had done to him. They had tricked him into not giving a damn about his second son. "Why, why Chris?" he asked. Wouldn't it have made more sense to make the enchantment on all of them or at least on the two members of his family that he already loved above anything else?_

"_Because knowing that Piper and Wyatt would want to protect Chris from your hatred, we thought it would have drove a wedge into the middle of your family and they would have eventually drove you off themselves, making you turn to us, where you truly belonged. And it was easier to dissolve a link that was just forming than one that was already established." Zola let his head sink, no longer able to look at his former friend._

_Leo was in a daze. He started thinking back over all the years and all the arguments he had had with his youngest son. He tried to look at his own actions objectively as if he was an outside party just watching. It was hard to imagine that he had been at all wrong in his actions but still he knew he must try to get past the enchantment that was placed on him. He slowly began to realize how many times he had been completely unreasonable with Chris. And how Chris had always just stood back taking the abuse, without a single word to defend himself most of the time; and the look in his eyes every time it happened; that look of complete and utter pain. "My god, what have I done?"_

_Wyatt felt the anger welling inside him. At that very moment he wanted to destroy every Elder in the heavens but he knew there was something much more important he would have to do instead. No matter how much he had grown to hate his father, it had to be done for Chris. "How do we break the enchantment?"_

_Zola knew there was no use hiding it. His time was already done and he had actually been one of the Elders who had thought what they did was wrong. "Leo has to clip his own wings and become a mortal. He has to take the fall from grace. It's the only way to break it."_

_Leo took a deep breath nodding. At that point the idea of being a Whitelighter was too disgusting anyway. Anything that put him in contact with the Elders was just too much for him to bear anymore. They had ruined his life. They had tried to destroy his family. And they had made him hurt someone who he should have loved all along. He turned looking out over the city and called out to Wyatt. "Lower your shield, Wyatt."_

_Wyatt looked at him in confusion. He knew what clipping a Whitelighter's wings was and what it resulted in, but he had no way of knowing exactly how one went about doing it. But for once he listened to his father without questioning and dropped the shield. Zola immediately orbed away but Wyatt was too concerned with what his father was doing. Besides, he could kill the Elder later. And he would kill him, along with all the rest of them._

_Leo smiled briefly taking a deep cleansing breath stretching his arms out and just let himself fall from the bridge top. _

_Wyatt's eyes rounded in surprise and he rushed to the edge of the bridge. He looked down and saw his father's body on the freeway below. He wondered for a millisecond if he was dead and for that second he actually felt a small amount of pain touch his cold heart but then Leo started to move and got to his feet limping away. Wyatt let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Then one thought struck him and he knew it was very important to find the one person this would most affect. "Chris," he said shimmering away from the bridge._

At that moment the image died on a completely silent room. Leo was visibly shaking and his breaths were becoming louder as it seemed he might hyperventilate at any moment. Tears had sprung to his eyes during the memory and he felt as if his heart was being torn into shreds.

Chris turned to him placing a steadying arm on his shoulder. "Dad," he said the one word in concern.

"I never dreamed that they would do anything like that to us," Leo said grabbing onto Chris. He had the sudden urge to fall to the floor and wasn't sure how long his legs would hold him.

Chris grabbed him tighter and motioned for Paige to help. She grabbed one of the chairs at the hearing table and pushed it behind Leo who sank into it numbly not even realizing it was there.

Chris himself was still in shock. Everything he had just seen was slipping into his mind, which was furiously trying to process the information. His father had never meant to be cruel to him. He had never meant to neglect him or to say abusive things. It was all an enchantment. And in the end he had clipped his own wings to break it. After all of those years of thinking his father hated him it was all a lie created by the Elders to tear their family apart, and it had done just that. If only they had somehow realized it sooner, none of the pain and suffering of his timeline would have happened.

Then another thought struck him. He swung on his brother angrily. "You didn't tell me."

Wyatt had wondered when that was coming. "I would have. I was planning too. I left there to go and find you. But all of that had distracted me and I hadn't realized what was happening back in the Manor. When I shimmered in the Book of Shadows was back on the podium and the Triquetra was on the wall. And to my astonishment, you were nowhere to be found. I couldn't even sense you. Then I saw which spell you cast."

Chris' mouth dropped open in shock. "That was the day that I came back here?"

Wyatt nodded bitterly. "Ironic wouldn't you say? At that point, when I realized that you had betrayed me I just didn't care to tell you anymore."

"What happened to Dad?" Chris asked swallowing hard. He suddenly became very worried about his now mortal father in the future. He had no family to care for him. He was possibly injured and it would probably seem to him like Chris had abandoned him by then.

"Oh, at first he had no idea that you came back here. He spent alot of time searching for you and with no one left who could sense you, except me that is, well the search didn't go so well." Wyatt had to admit to himself that watching his father search endlessly wasn't exactly enjoyable but he wouldn't admit it to any of them. After all it hadn't been his fault. The Elders were the ones who were to blame. Good thing he had remembered to go 'up there' and finish the job once his temper over Chris leaving had leveled off. It had felt so refreshing to decimate the entire race of hypocrites. "I haven't really seen him but I'm sure by now his memories have changed to accomodate you being here in this timeline."

Chris nodded sadly imagining the man's grief at everything that had happened. He hoped that his sanity was holding up.

The sisters had kept surprisingly quiet during all of this but that was not a sign that they hadn't been thinking all this time.

"Wyatt, what event turned you evil in the future?" Phoebe asked hoping the tile would pick up an image. She had a sneaking suspicion as to something they hadn't even considered yet.

Wyatt turned to her shaking his head. "As I tried to tell Chris so many times in the future. This is not a good vs. evil thing. Why doesn't anybody understand that?"

But Chris finally had begun to understand it. "You really aren't evil are you?"

Everyone in the room looked at him in complete surprise except Wyatt and possibly Phoebe.

"Chris, are you feeling okay?" Paige quipped, not believing what she was hearing.

"Yeah, Paige. I actually am. For the first time, I finally get it. There was no specific event was there?" he asked turning back to his brother.

"I'm not gonna hold your hand on this, Chris. Figure it out yourself," Wyatt growled out walking over to one of the tables and taking a seat, letting it tilt back as he waited to see what his brother would come up with.

"It was everything that happened; the Elders enchanting Dad; his treatment of me; Mom and the Aunts dieing. You just let your inhibitions go. You stopped worrying whether what you were doing was right or wrong, just as long as it got you what you wanted." Chris' mind was going a mile a minute. It all made sense now. The claim that it was only power that he sought. His determination never to lose anyone he cared for again. His determination to protect his little brother and never to lose him. When Wyatt sought revenge for his mother's death it was the first time that Wyatt had given into his darker emotions and from there it was all downhill.

"I think you are finally getting it," Wyatt said clapping gently mocking his brother's accomplishment.

"And if none of that had happened?" Piper asked beginning to understand her son's words.

"Well, she speaks," he said sarcastically, which earned him a scowl from his mother. "Well if none of that would have happened, I guess I probably would have grown up to be what you wanted to me to be."

"And everything that happened stemmed from the Elders casting that one enchantment. Leo and Chris becoming estranged, which ultimately led to our deaths because Leo wouldn't have ever been 'up there' on Chris' birthday if he had cared for him, which snowballed into you wanting revenge and then the need to take over the entire world to control everything so you'd never have to lose anyone again." Paige too was beginning to grasp the entire picture.

"But Chris has already changed so much here. Why are you still like that?" Phoebe asked motioning to his dark appearance. Everything about him screamed 'evil overlord.'

"No matter how hard you all try to change things, Chris won't be able to stop the Elders from enchanting Dad. And that is the event that starts it all." Wyatt seemed so smug in his notion. "Everything, all the bad parts of our lives including your deaths were set in motion that day. Which from my figuring happens very soon."

"The Elders shouldn't have any reason to place that enchantment on him. He is an Elder for god's sake," Piper was becoming frustrated. "They got what they wanted."

Wyatt looked surprised by that statement. "What?" Then he turned to Chris. "Wait, you made him an Elder? I never thought you seriously meant that when you said it."

Chris shrugged. To him it had seemed like a good idea at the time. "So if they got their way why hasn't the future changed?"

Though Leo hadn't said a word, he had been listening and it all made sense for one brief moment. "Because they might still do it, as a preventive measure, and because I've spent the last eight months down here with all of you. Just because I'm one of them, that doesn't mean they will not stoop to enchanting me anyway just to be sure to keep me."

"So what do we do?" Piper asked worried that they'd never be able to stop what was gonna happen. At that moment a chime sounded in the room and it was as if a gust of air swept over them all.

"It's not what we do, it's what I do," Leo said orbing away.

"Where is he going?" Piper screamed.

Both Chris and Paige tried to sense Leo but something was stopping them. "I can't get him," Chris finally answered.

"What?" Piper's eyes had gone wide.

"Me either," Paige answered.

They all turned to Wyatt expectantly. "You think I'm gonna help you?" he said shaking his head in disbelief. "He's probably just up trying to talk them into not doing it. Pacifists, what a joke!"

"Chris, why don't you go 'up there' and try to find him, and we'll go back to the Manor and try to scry for him," Piper suggested.

Chris nodded orbing out immediately. He had a funny feeling that his father was going to do something dangerous.

The three sisters stood and locked arms but Phoebe stopped them. "Wait. Are you gonna try to kill us?" she asked Wyatt

Piper gave her sister an alarmed look but Phoebe cut off any remark she could make. "What, he's got his powers now, doesn't he?"

Wyatt just laughed at that. "No, Aunt Phoebe. I'm having way too much fun watching you all scramble around here like you are lunatics. This is the most enjoyable entertainment I've had in years."

"Well I'm glad you are finding this all so funny while the rest of us are trying to make you and your little brother a better future. You remember him right. The kid who got stepped on and treated like dirt his entire life. Even if you don't want a better life, I'd say he probably does. Doesn't he deserve it?" Piper had finally had enough of her son's uncaring and callous attitude. She had seen Chris' memories just as the rest of them had and she knew that at one time there was a part of Wyatt that cared for his brother more than anything else in the world. She couldn't believe that that part of him was dead and gone. There had to be something of that caring older brother left in him.

Wyatt sat in silence for a moment and then decided to speak. "I think I'll go and try to find Christopher. Maybe I'll kill an Elder or two while I'm up there." With that he smiled and shimmered out not giving any indication of what his intentions exactly were at that moment.

"He's having way too much fun with this." Paige commented shaking her head. "Do we just let him go?"

"Do you think he's serious?" Phoebe asked and then shook her own head. At that time she really didn't even care if he killed all the Elders. "Besides, at this point could we even stop him if we wanted to?" They all three shared a look that said that they couldn't. With that Paige orbed them back to the Manor.

* * *

_A/N: Well, did anybody expect that little revelation? I'm hoping it was a surprise and that everyone liked it. I know everyone kept asking me about Gideon turning Wyatt, well I never said that he did and I did say that I was changing almost everything from the tv show. But for those of you who really hate Gideon, don't get depressed, he's not done with this fic yet. Oh, and I'm not one hundred percent sure exactly how a Whitelighter or Elder goes about clipping their own wings but I do remember the episode from Season 8, I believe, where Leo does just that to save Piper, so I went with it. That fall from grace thing was just so awesome._


	25. Trust Me

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended

**A/N:** Why is it that every time I tell someone about how many chapters are left on this story that I always get bit by this amazing plot bunny that's gonna extend it even further? I'm just not gonna tell anyone anymore otherwise this thing will end up longer than War and Peace. This story was supposed to only be about 3 more chapters but anyhow, let's see how that works out.

* * *

**Chapter 25 Trust Me**

Chris had found it extremely difficult to talk to the Elders after everything he had just learned but he had to find his father. So he politely asked for him but none of the Elders seemed to know where Leo had went and none of them could sense him either. That was if they weren't lying to him. Even if he had never been all that impressed by the Elders, he had never had any reason to distrust them before. But now he had to question everything they did and said.

But still if neither he nor Paige could sense his father maybe the Elders couldn't either. "Why is he blocking everyone?" Chris asked no one in particular his voice filled with frustration. He was standing in the main chamber of the Elders and several of them shushed him but he didn't care what they said or did anymore.

"He probably doesn't want to be found," a voice said right behind him. Chris turned sharply to see Wyatt standing there.

"What are you doing up here?" Chris had noticed how a being shimmering into the heavens caused all the Elders to orb elsewhere. Not surprised there and not particularly disappointed either he figured.

"You and I have some unfinished business to take care of, Christopher. You betrayed me and I can't allow anyone to make a fool of me, not even family," Wyatt said casually crossing his arms over his chest and waiting patiently for Chris' response.

"Don't you get it?" Chris shouted. "I came back here to save you." He was just about tired of his brother's whole attitude concerning this. It wasn't as if he was trying to kill him. He just wanted to change things so they could all enjoy a better future, including Wyatt.

"I didn't want to be saved, Chris," Wyatt countered.

"Well damn it. Doesn't it matter at all what I want?" he asked bitterly.

Wyatt was taken aback by that question. He hadn't wanted to admit it but his mother's words right before he had shimmered out had made him feel strange and now Chris was also having the same affect on him. Had he ever truly considered what Chris had wanted? Had it ever mattered? Apparently not. "Well what **do** you want, Chris?"

Chris paused as his brother's words surprised him. Wyatt hadn't cared at all what Chris wanted for such a long time now. It was strange to hear him actually ask. He wondered then if he should really tell Wyatt exactly what was in his heart or hide it? Would Wyatt just use the information against him as he always had in the past? It wasn't as if he wanted anything more than a normal person would want in his position. He decided not to hold anything back though. He was tired of the games they were playing and it might be his only chance to get through to his brother. "I want my family, Wyatt. Mom, Dad, the Aunts. All of them. I want to be happy for a change. I want the woman that I loved to be alive and well. I want to be able to go to sleep at night without having nightmares of them dieing or of Dad hating me, or of you trying to kill me. Hell at this point I'd love to even be able to sleep at all." Chris was shouting now and it didn't matter to him where he was or who was disturbed by it. "I want my brother back. The one who used to protect me. The one who used to love me."

Wyatt was shocked by all of this. It had been many years since Chris had confided anything in him. It was something that he had missed but he had given it up knowing that if he wanted to keep Chris safe and under his control he'd have to lose a few things. But part of him wondered if Chris' confidence truly had to be one of those things. "I still protect you, Chris. I always have."

Chris' chin sunk to his chest. "I know you do, Wyatt. I really do. But it's not the same. You protect me because you can't bear to lose anything else, not because you care for me. I've become a possession, not a loved one."

Wyatt heard the words and for the first time in a long time felt an emotion besides for hate. Pain. It hurt to hear those words from his brother. He loved him. He knew he did. Didn't he? "Chris, I…" but he didn't know what to say.

"Are you even capable of love anymore, Wy?" Chris asked looking up at his brother and his eyes had filled with tears.

Wyatt could see his brother's tears ready to break free and it took him back to all the times he had comforted his little brother when things had become too difficult for him, when Leo had been too hard on him, when they had lost their mom. But this time was different. Chris wasn't crying because of their father or their mother or even their aunts. He was crying because of him. Wyatt had done this too him. He had been the one to hurt him this time. Something he had never liked to do even though it had happened a few times in the past. He shook his head and a look of anguish covered his face. "I want to love you, Chris. I really do. But I don't know if I remember how."

With those words Wyatt turned away in confusion. This was all wrong. It made him feel strange inside and he didn't like it at all. "I need to kill something. Where did those Elders go?" he said lashing out in anger.

Chris was completely shocked by what he was hearing. His brother had just done a complete turnabout. "No, Wy!" he said grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back around to face him. "You are not getting away from me that easily."

"Chris, I don't want to change. This way is better," Wyatt said in an almost pleading tone completely unlike the Wyatt that Chris had known for the past six years.

"Why, because you don't have to feel pain?" Chris asked realizing something very important about his brother. Wyatt was afraid. He was afraid of feeling emotions. Afraid of all of the pain that he would open himself up to if he just let himself care for his family.

"If you have to know, then yes," he answered testily.

"But aren't all the other emotions worth the pain?" he wanted to know. "Don't you want to feel what it feels like to have mom hug you again? Don't you want dad to look at you and tell you he's proud of you?"

Wyatt ripped his shoulder out of Chris' grip. "Stop it. I don't want to hear that. That's not a part of my life anymore."

"It can be," Chris whispered as if saying it too loud would keep it from coming true. "And you don't have to do anything. Just go back and forget that I'm even here. Reverse the spell and you'll never even have to know that you were ever this way. I'll make sure it changes and then when I come back there, things will be better. It's so simple, Wy. All you have to do is trust me."

Wyatt looked thoughtfully towards his brother and nodded slightly sighing in resignation. A part of him was screaming not to let this happen. To stop Chris at whatever cost so things could just continue as they were, but then there was another part of him that was daring to believe that things might be better the other way around. "Dad's at the bridge," he whispered softly. Chris looked startled at that statement. "My powers are stronger than yours. He can't block me out."

Chris smiled. It was a sign that they were on the right track if Wyatt was willing to lead him to Leo. With that they both orbed to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Leo was standing next to the edge looking out over the city. He could sense his sons orbing and shimmering in behind him. He should have known that he couldn't block them forever. He knew he should be worried about Wyatt being there but for some reason he just couldn't put that much thought into it right then. "I knew you'd find me eventually," he said not turning to them.

"What are you doing here, Dad?" Chris asked nervously.

"Changing the future," Leo answered.

Wyatt laughed a little at that. "Damn, didn't think he had it in him to do it twice."

Chris shot Wyatt a look that clearly said 'shut up.' He knew exactly what Wyatt was referring too but he also knew that the fall from grace could very well kill his father as easily as clip his wings. "Are you sure there is no other way, Dad?"

Leo turned and smiled at Chris. "I like it when you call me Dad."

"Nice change in subject there," Wyatt said smiling as he leaned against the support wall nearest too him.

Chris turned to Wyatt. "What did we just discuss?"

Wyatt stood straight and nodded at Chris. He then turned and waved his hand in front of the wall. Immediately the Triquetra symbol appeared there and shone bright blue. He turned to his brother and smiled the smile that Chris remembered from when they were kids. "I do trust you, Chris." Then he turned back and walked through the portal and it disappeared from sight.

Chris sighed and turned back to his father. Leo had watched in amazement as Wyatt left. "He went…" his words were cut off in surprise.

"Back to our time to wait for us to change things." Chris smiled at his own words. He could see the confusion in Leo's eyes. "We had a talk."

"Must have been one hell of a talk," Leo said in surprise.

"Let's just say that Wyatt isn't as opposed to a changed future as we originally thought he was." The smile on Chris' face couldn't have been happier and for once the cares and worry he seemed to always be swamped by just didn't show in his eyes. "We really can fix it all, Dad. I just wish there was another way."

Leo walked over to Chris and folded him in a hug. "Chris, don't worry about me. I want this. And it's the only way I can do it myself. I really don't see the other Elders being willing to clip my wings for me, do you?"

Chris at first had felt strange about being hugged by his father. It wasn't a usual event in either timeline but it wasn't something that was completely uncomfortable. So he gave in and wrapped his own arms around him. "Why am I so afraid that this is goodbye?"

Leo pulled away, not completely letting go of his son but where he could see his face. "Chris, you saw Wyatt's memory. I survived it in the future and I was just a Whitelighter then. As an Elder it should be even easier." He hoped he was right but to tell the truth he wasn't exactly sure. But he'd do it either way, if it meant saving his family. "I would appreciate an assist at the bottom though, if you don't mind. I'm not sure how well I'll be walking once I get up."

Chris couldn't help the small chuckle that left his lips. "All right, Dad. I'll be there."

Leo pulled away from Chris and then walked back to the edge of the bridge and looked down on the cars below him. He spread his arms like a bird about to take flight and took a deep breath, but just as he was about to take the plunge he heard orbs behind him and to the left. He immediately sensed the other presence there and turned his head in surprise.

Chris had also turned to see the figure standing a few feet away from them and his heart froze at the sight.

"Leo, I wouldn't do that if I were you. You wouldn't want to traumatize your young son, now would you," Gideon asked grasping young Wyatt tightly to his chest an Athame clasped in one hand.

Leo turned fully to face the one Elder he had thought he might still be able to count on. What was he doing there and why did he have Wyatt with him and holding an Athame? "What is this Gideon?"

"I'm truly sorry, Leo but I can't allow you to do that. The members of the Tribunal reported to the Elders today of what occurred in their chamber both last evening and the last time you used it. We have made a decision that things will not be allowed to continue in the way they apparently did in your son's timeline. You must come with me now." Gideon's tone left no room for doubt that he had no choice.

"But, Gideon, I can fix it. I can fix it all. Just one fall and the future will be saved." Leo couldn't believe that he was this close and yet again an Elder was gonna ruin it all for them again.

"No, Leo, that is not good enough. We have decided on a much more permanent resolution to the problem. Your family will be allowed to live their lives as they normally would have but you will not be in it," Gideon explained.

Chris couldn't believe his ears. This was just not happening. They were so close. "If you know everything that was said and seen in the tribunal chamber then you know that it was the Elders fault. They were the reason Wyatt turned evil in my timeline. They were the cause behind all of our pain and the Charmed Ones deaths. And now you are telling me that you are just gonna take my father away from us and that's supposed to fix everything. You are just downright crazy if you think I'm gonna allow that."

Gideon didn't seem to be phased by the threat. "It's either your father comes with me and submits to our wishes or your brother shall die. Either way and the problem is fixed."

"Gideon, he is just a child. Can you honestly expect me to believe that you'd kill him?" Leo asked not even imagining that an Elder could just murder a child. Especially not Gideon. Not after everything. He was Leo's friend and Mentor for so many years. He had pleaded with the Elders to allow he and Piper to be married.

Gideon seemed to be thinking over that one. How to convince Leo? "I am much more capable than you think I am, Leo. Who do you think sent that demon after Piper a month ago?"

Leo sucked in his breath and the look on his face went from disbelief to utter hate and loathing. "But, why?"

"The other Elders and I all agreed once we found out that Piper was pregnant again that another child would be yet another threat that we were not all that eager to see born. Two children from your union could become a threat that we did not want to face. So it was left to me to rectify the situation. Piper would not have been hurt but I'm afraid the child was not supposed to survive." Gideon hadn't even glanced at Chris with those words. They all knew he was well aware of the fact that Chris was the child in question.

Chris wanted to dive forward and rip the Elder to shreds but with that information he was positive that Gideon would not hesitate to kill Wyatt. Even if he could knock the Athame from his hand, Gideon could just orb away with Wyatt, who didn't seem to even notice he was in danger. By why would he expect danger from someone whom his parents had trusted him with?

"You tried to have my unborn son killed and now you are threatening the life of my other son. How have the Elders fallen so low?" Leo asked his voice a wave of pure pain.

"We must survive," was the only answer Gideon would give. "Now, Leo, if you would come over here and stand by me, we shall leave and both your sons will be left untouched. That I promise you."

Chris wanted to scream at his father to refuse but if he did he'd lose his brother so he remained silent.

Leo had no choice. For Wyatt he'd have to comply, so he stepped over next to Gideon and waited to be orbed away.

Gideon laid one hand on Leo's shoulder and as he orbed them away he dropped Wyatt. Chris just barely had enough sense of mind to dive and catch his brother before he hit the hard surface of the bridge. He wrapped his arms protectively around his brother, who had started to scream in fear and tried to shush his crying by holding him in his lap and kissing his forehead. "Shhhh, Wyatt, shhhh. We'll get daddy back, I promise," he whispered as his brother continued to cry and he found his own eyes filled with tears.

He immediately tried to sense his father but could feel nothing and then he tried to orb 'up there' but that too seemed to be cut off. He wanted to scream in frustration at his inability to follow his father. But he knew for Wyatt's sake he'd have to keep a calm head and return him to his mother.

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_A/N: Ha, yet another plot twist and does it surprise anyone that Gideon had to butt in and try to mess it all up for them? I was surprised that no one said anything about Piper leaving Wyatt at Magic School when they decided to cast the viewing portal spell. So anyone liking it? Or have I completely skipped off my rocker? Okay next chapter should be up tomorrow or the next day. I'm still trying to decide which way to go with it. I have three ideas in mind and am having trouble deciding between them._


	26. My Home in Place and Time

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N**: I was really worried that some of you would hate the direction that last chapter took but I didn't get too many complaints. Makes me very happy. And I am officially declaring this Torture an Elder Week. Let's all join in and have some fun with it.

But back to the story. This chapter skips ahead to just about three days before baby Chris is born, and the next few chapters which will be the last ones of the fic are gonna be sort of fast moving since I want a lot to occur during those three days. So without further ado…

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**Chapter 26 My Home in Place and Time**

_Almost 5 Months Later_

Chris sat on the attic floor with his back against the couch. He was completely surrounded by maps and was holding a scrying crystal above them concentrating as hard as he possibly could.

He wasn't sure just how long he had been sitting like that but he was sure that his legs were both asleep and he had no intention of moving anytime soon. He looked up as bright blue and white orbs shone through the room and his breath caught for just a second before he realized that it was Paige and Phoebe orbing in. He had actually allowed himself to hope for just a moment that Leo had managed to find a way back to them.

"Any luck," they all three said at once.

Chris didn't speak as he just shook his head and looked down at the maps in front of him.

"Us neither," Paige said plopping onto the couch behind him looking over his shoulder. "We visited the Fairies, Leprechauns and Ogres. None of them has heard a word about Leo."

Phoebe pulled a chair up in front of where Chris sat and propped her elbows on her knees resting her chin on her palms. "We even ran into a Whitelighter," she started and felt sad at the hopeful look that Chris gave her. "Sorry, hon, he orbed the minute he saw us and as you know the Elders are blocking us from following anyone up there."

Chris' head sunk in disappointment. They had tried everything. They had tried spells, incantations and all kinds of other less conventional methods, but nothing had come of it. They had pleaded with the Elders. They had even tried to expose magic to get the Cleaners and Tribunal to pay attention to their pleas. But that hadn't even worked. The Cleaners had just cleaned up the mess and gone away without a word. They had visited every type of magical creature they could imagine. Chris had even gone back to the underworld to the Seer, who could tell him nothing. It was as if Leo had just ceased to exist.

Chris didn't know how much more he could take of this. He couldn't believe just how close he had been to truly finding happiness for his entire family. He had finally found a father that he could love and who he wanted in his life and now he was ripped away very painfully. It just wasn't fair, but since when was life fair for a Halliwell? In utter frustration he slung the crystal across the attic floor. "This is getting me nowhere," he said in a defeated tone as he pushed the maps away and drew his numb legs up in front of him and sunk his forehead down upon his knees. He knew just how close he was to a breakdown and he really didn't want to do that in front of his aunts. He knew they'd support him and offer him comfort but he didn't want it right then. He wanted to not feel like such a failure. He wanted to be able to find a solution that would bring his father back to him. He hadn't realized just how much he would miss him until he was gone. But he realized it all too painfully now.

He had been thinking so much lately and was beginning to truly understand why Wyatt had taken the path he had in his original future. At least Wyatt had been able to hide from the pain for several years, something Chris had never been allowed to do and it was becoming almost too much to withstand. "I'm all out of ideas," he whispered in defeat, never raising his head.

Just before his words Piper had walked into the attic and Wyatt was walking slowly along beside her holding his mother's hand. Wyatt immediately orbed himself next to his brother holding his arms out to him. "Cwiss," he said in a small pleading voice.

Chris looked up at his brother's attempt to say his name and gave him a small smile. "Hey, buddy," he said opening his arms and letting Wyatt crawl into his lap. "You always do know when I need you, don't you?"

Wyatt didn't make a sound as he just clung to Chris sensing his brother's pain.

Piper looked onto her two sons with tears in her eyes. She was glad that they were able to be there for each other now but she still felt so empty inside knowing their father wasn't here to see it too. She felt a strong kick from the baby she was carrying and looked down running her hand along her side and the sadness increased ten fold wondering if Leo would even get to see Chris born. She had just a few days left and she knew just how much more painful each day was becoming for Chris. She knew he could see a future ahead of him that contained no father at all. That in a way was so much worse for him than his previous future, where Leo was cruel to him. She knew he would have gladly accepted his father that way again if it would keep him in his life. But neither way was fair to him. He had worked so hard to fix things for his family and he deserved to have the father he knew could love him.

Phoebe had been staring down at Wyatt and she was still amazed by the connection the two shared. It was something that defied even time and it was nothing short of a miracle. Wyatt really did know when Chris needed him, and he truly needed him then. Then it struck her like a light from the heavens. "Wait, you're right. You do need Wyatt."

Everyone looked at Phoebe in confusion. "Don't you see? Maybe Wyatt can sense Leo."

Chris for one brief moment had hoped that she would come up with something that might just work. "I've tried that already, Phoebe. I remembered how Paige found Leo in Valhalla using Wyatt. It just didn't work this time."

"Not with baby Wyatt. He's not strong enough yet but what about grown up Wyatt?" Phoebe suggested smartly knowing she was on to something.

Paige understood exactly what she was suggesting. "Yeah, Chris, didn't you say that Wyatt sensed Leo on the bridge when the rest of us couldn't. Maybe he can do it again. We can use the same spell that bought him here before."

Piper's hopes soared for a moment as she thought they might actually have something this time. But the next moment her hopes were dashed by an unexpected source. "We can't do that," Chris whispered sadly. "We don't know what's happened in the future. We don't know how he's turned out, now that things have been changed so much. He might be worse this time around." Chris stared down at his older but also smaller brother and his heart broke at the thought but there was no telling with time travel. He truly hoped that he had managed to somehow keep his brother from turning in their future, but he just couldn't risk something horrible happening to the rest of them.

"Chris, no. Look at Wyatt. He's fine. Nothing got to him and he's got all of our love. He's not gonna change," Piper argued wanting to cling to the notion that at least they had saved Wyatt.

"Mom, the final act that turned Wyatt before was your death. You died because Dad wasn't there to save you. Who's gonna save you now?" Chris hated to have to point it out but there was no telling what had happened in the new timeline. He had to admit that in all of the time he had had to think recently some of his thoughts had turned to very dark ones and he couldn't deny that any of them could be true no matter how painful they might be.

"I won't accept that, Chris," Piper said fiercely denying his words. "We will survive, one way or another and Wyatt will be just fine."

Chris didn't want to ague with her but he wouldn't allow them to put themselves at risk by using that spell again. But there was something he could do; it was just something that in a way frightened him. "I'll go back," he said resolutely making up his mind.

"What?" Paige asked in confusion.

"I'll go back to my timeline and find out what's happened, and if things aren't as bad as I fear then Wyatt and I can figure it out. We'll find a way to get him back. Who knows, maybe we've already found a way to do it sometime in the future." Chris knew they wouldn't like the idea but he had no choice in his own mind. He had to protect them but he also had to find a way to find his father. And this was their last hope.

Piper really doubted that they had found a way, otherwise they would have found a way to send them that information so Chris could have come back on his own by now. But that was the least of her fears at the moment. "Chris, what happens if you go back and things are worse than before? I don't want to lose you too."

Chris could hear the fear in his mother's voice and he knew he couldn't say anything that would allay those fears, so he pushed himself into a standing position handing Wyatt to Phoebe and walked stiffly to where she stood wrapping his arms around her. "Mom, I'll find a way. And if things aren't right then I'll come back here immediately. I promise."

Piper hugged her son to her, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't want you to go. Without your father here, I guess I depend on you too much," she whispered realizing just how much she did depend on Chris to be her rock now. Leo had always been there to steady her and comfort her worries and fears, but somehow Chris had been able to take that place for a very short time. It wasn't the same, but she didn't know what she would have done without him.

"Mom, it's not forever. I'll get Dad back to you and everything will be right again. Then we can all live the life we deserve." He wasn't sure if he said it more for his mother or to bolster his own courage. But he needed to say the words and he vowed that he would accomplish just that.

Piper pulled away from him but kept one hand on his arm as if she wasn't ready yet to severe the tie between them. "When do you want to go?"

"I've already got the spell. I rewrote the one that brought me back here back when I wrote the one for the viewing portal. I don't want to waste anymore time." He knew they wouldn't be ready for him to leave yet but somehow he knew it would be easier if they didn't have a long drawn out goodbye either.

Paige and Phoebe both stood and walked over to him. "Not goodbye again," Paige said reaching up and hugging him. "I don't think you should be allowed more than one goodbye."

Chris smiled at her. "Well this time, I'm thinking I'll actually be leaving, so the first time didn't really count."

Paige scowled at his logic but nodded. "Okay, I guess you got a point on that one."

Phoebe also hugged him and tried hard to hide the tears in her eyes. "You know, when you first came here, I never suspected that I'd like you so much. Now I can't imagine why I didn't. You're just about the best nephew any woman could ask for. I'll miss you, Chris."

"I'll miss you too, Pheebs. But hey, I'll be born in a couple of days and then you'll get to spoil me rotten. Just remember that," he pointed out trying to make her smile. He knew she would. She had the first time around. It was just a Phoebe thing to do and he was pleased to see that smile he wanted.

After his goodbyes were said he stepped to the attic wall and drew the symbol of the Triquetra and stood back pulling a piece of paper from his back pocket. He had been carrying the spell around for months now, not sure if he would need it soon or not. Somehow he had sensed that this day was coming and now it was time.

His voice trembled as he read the words aloud.

_Hear these words,  
__Hear the rhyme,  
__Heed the hope within my mind,  
__Send me forth to where I'll find,  
__My home in place and time._

With that the Triquetra glowed blue and the portal opened before them. He turned one last time to look at his family and then stepped into the portal ready to face his unknown future.

When he appeared in the attic in his own time he looked around nervously but it looked almost exactly as it had in the past. He glanced over at the cauldron and saw something he hadn't quite expected. Wyatt stood there along with **himself**. They had both looked up at the portal opening and had identical looks of surprise on their faces. Chris immediately felt a pulling sensation as he was drawn into the version of himself standing next to the cauldron.

He closed his eyes as a sense of vertigo swept over him and when he opened them he could see that Wyatt had backed away from him slightly, his eyes wide in both surprise and even a little fear. Chris looked up and down at Wyatt and a huge grin covered his features. Wyatt was dressed in blue jeans and a red sweatshirt and his curly blonde hair was cropped neatly and something about him just screamed goodness to Chris. At least they had averted that catastrophe. Chris rushed forward and grabbed his brother in a huge hug and whooped in glee. He knew it was very unlike him and he was probably scaring poor Wyatt to death but he couldn't contain his happiness at seeing his grown brother like this. "God, Wy, you can't believe how happy I am to see you."

Wyatt managed to pull away from Chris and backed away even further. "Okay, who are you and where is my brother?" Chris just smirked at the comment and was even happier to hear Wyatt yell out one word, "Mom!"

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_A/N: Well that looks like a good place to stop that. Well I decided how I wanted to go with this. I hope I haven't lost too many readers over the fact that I haven't found their happy ending yet. I promise it is there. I can see it. It's not even that far away. I can almost reach out and grab it. I promise not to make you all wait too much longer._


	27. I Have No Father

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Okay I had a question asked by an anonymous reviewer and I thought I'd answer it here. This is Chris' changed future; well at least what I've turned it into. And while I'm at it I want to thank that same reviewer, who has left awesome reviews for almost every chapter so far but since they were anon I couldn't thank them. So thanks gravitation gig. I look forward to all of your reviews.

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**Chapter 27 I Have No Father**

_Wyatt managed to pull away from Chris and backed away even further. "Okay, who are you and where is my brother?" Chris just smirked at the comment and was even happier to hear Wyatt yell out one word, "Mom!"_

Chris turned and waited expectantly for Piper to step into the room. When she did he was amazed just how little she had changed. She had twenty years added to her features but she was still the lovely woman he remembered from both his childhood and his journey into the past. "Mom!" Tears had sprung to his eyes and he rushed across the room grabbing her around the waist and swinging her into the air in a circle. He finally let her down but wouldn't let go of her. "It really worked. Look at you, and Wyatt. Are Paige and Phoebe here?" he asked expectantly. His words all came out in a rush with the excitement he felt over seeing his future turning into exactly what he had hoped for.

Piper's face lit up as she realized just who she was seeing before her. She knew the time for him to return had to be coming soon she just wasn't positive exactly when. "They will be soon," she said as tears flooded her eyes. "Paige, bring Phoebe," she called out knowing her sister's advanced sensing abilities would allow her to hear the extra request. "Oh, Chris, we weren't sure when you'd show up. None of us bothered to ask what date was that you'd be returning on."

Wyatt was standing in shocked silence on the other side of the room. He didn't understand what was going on or what they were talking about. "Mom, what's going on here?"

Chris looked back to his brother and still couldn't help the smile that was on his face. "I see you didn't tell him anything." That was probably a good thing, Chris figured.

At that moment Paige and Phoebe orbed in and Chris was distracted with seeing them. He immediately grabbed both of them in hugs, which slightly shocked them. Neither of them were used to this much affection from their nephew. Oh he loved them dearly but like most young men he didn't go for open displays of affection towards his aunts. It was just too embarrassing at his age. But neither of them would turn away a hug from him.

When he pulled back he just stared at them drinking in the way they looked. Older but definitely alive in this timeline and that was enough for him.

"Okay, so why is Chris wearing such a goofy grin?" Paige asked but felt as if she should know why.

Piper wrapped her arm around Chris' waist and smiled at her sisters. "Probably because this isn't just your nephew Chris but also your Neurotic Whitelighter, Chris Perry."

Chris smiled at that and had to add. "Don't forget bitchy, Mom. I liked that part."

"Sorry, Chris, Neurotic Bitchy Whitelighter," Piper amended.

Paige and Phoebe both grinned from ear to ear. "Well it's about damn time. We've been waiting for you to come back for the last year and half," Paige complained good-naturedly. She personally had expected him to come back at about the same time he left, but that hadn't happened.

"I told you it would coincide with the day he left. Just about three days before his 23rd birthday, but you both thought I was wrong." Phoebe was rather proud that she'd figured it out since most of the time when she thought of time travel it gave her a headache.

"You know, if someone doesn't start explaining to me what is going on here and what you are all talking about I'm gonna hex every one of you," Wyatt warned. He was beginning to suspect that they had all been possessed or something.

Chris turned to Wyatt and sighed letting a little of his old sadness out as he realized just what he was gonna be forced to tell his brother. "I promise, Wy, I'll explain it all but I need to know one thing first. What about Dad?"

He looked around to the three sisters and saw how they each looked down avoiding his eyes and that was enough to tell him what he needed to know but Wyatt's words really drove it home. "What the hell is wrong with you? You know we don't talk about him anymore. We have no father." The words were bitter and angry and Chris flinched at the hate he could hear in Wyatt's voice. What must he think Chris wondered sadly.

Chris swallowed hard and his eyes shut trying to block out the pain he could see on his brother's face and the pain he felt in his own heart hearing those words. "I was afraid of that," he whispered.

Piper looked up to Chris and the sadness she had felt for so many years now could be heard in her voice. "We never did get him back, Sweetie. I know you were hoping that somehow you'd come back here and it would all be all right, but we just couldn't find a way, no matter how hard we tried."

He nodded. "I understand, Mom." he said sadly pulling her even tighter to his side wanting to offer her the comfort he knew she needed after spending all of those years without the man she loved and with two sons that couldn't understand what she was going through. "My memories haven't really merged yet. I've got a few coming to me slowly but nothing about him yet." The entire time he'd been there he'd had little snippets of new memories surfacing in his mind but nothing that would let him know what he was most concerned with.

"Chris, baby, I know you need to know about the changes in this lifetime but we really need to explain this to Wyatt first," Piper said motioning her two sons to sit on the couch. Chris couldn't believe the old couch was still there. It had seemed ancient when he had slept on it twenty some years before. But it was still comfortable. He and Wyatt took seats on each end of the couch and Chris could see the distrust in his brother's eyes.

"Before I start, I need to tell you, Wy, no matter what you are thinking right now, I am your brother and you can trust me." Chris knew how hard it would be for Wyatt to just accept everything they were about to tell him but they didn't really have time to spare just to let Wyatt become accustomed to everything.

Wyatt wasn't sure why but those words sounded so familiar to him. "I do trust you, Chris," he said nodding feeling slightly afraid of what he was about to learn.

Chris smirked slightly remembering that the other Wyatt had said the same thing to him the last time he'd seen him. "I'm glad you do, because this is gonna be hard. It always is when it comes to time travel and changing the future." Wyatt gaped slightly at that statement but did not comment.

Then they started. Chris first told of his original childhood and his father's mistreatment of him and Wyatt for some reason did not find it hard to believe. He had lived most of his life without his father and it hit close to home to hear how he had been with Chris. And then the death of the Charmed Ones. Wyatt actually thought he'd be sick as Chris told him how they had died and the fact that he hadn't been able to stop it. Wyatt stared at his mother and his heart constricted thinking of a life without her but he did not comment as he waited for Chris to continue.

Then there were the dark years. It was so difficult to tell Wyatt of what he had been in Chris' original timeline and he opted to gloss over some of the worst of it not wanting his brother to feel completely guilt ridden. But Wyatt did feel guilty. How could he not? He had killed innocents and destroyed the world and from the painful looks he could see in all their eyes he could guess the horrors he had visited on his brother. He wanted to deny all of it then but he could see how easily his mother and aunts excepted it. It had to be true. They had known it was true all of those years but had never told him and a large part of him was glad that they hadn't. But still...

And then Chris told of how he had traveled back into time and the troubles and difficulties that he had had there. All the hate and distrust and the lies. Countless lies that Chris had never truly wanted to tell, but felt he had no choice but to do so. Wyatt had found himself watching his mother and aunts while Chris told that part. They still managed to look upset by their own actions after all this time but Wyatt could also see that Chris had forgiven them even if they hadn't forgiven themselves.

Then there was the Tribunal Chamber and the months following that where they had all kept Chris' secret to themselves. And Chris talked about Leo and all of the things they had done together and how he had been the father that Chris had always hoped for but never dared to dream of. This, Wyatt wasn't sure what to think of. His mother and the aunts had kept pretty tight lipped about his father since his disappearance. And that had fostered all kinds of horrible thoughts in Wyatt's head, but none that he had shared with his family. But Chris' words were full of so much emotion and so much love for the man that Wyatt barely even had known.

Then Chris had told of the attempt on his life while he was still unborn. That had disgusted Wyatt to think of. How could anyone even a demon be capable of that? He could also see how much this still bothered his mother. She hadn't told any of them that that one event had brought her the closest to leaving the life of magic completely behind and still to this day she resented her life for what it had nearly cost her.

But then there was the misspoken spell and the Tribunal Chamber again and the original Wyatt's memory of what the Elders had done to his father and Chris. Wyatt felt rage at the Elders for doing such a thing to his family and for causing them all that pain and for a brief moment he wished he were that evil version of himself, so he could exact revenge on them. Then the final blow came as Chris explained how his father was about to take the fall from grace to save them and Gideon had betrayed them using baby Wyatt as a pawn to take their father from them.

It was all so much information to process, almost too much but he knew he must. But then a thought occurred to him. "For the last year and a half now Chris kept telling me that he felt funny. He told all of you that too and none of you acted as if it was a big deal. It's because he was back in time, wasn't it?" With that Wyatt pointed to his brother. He was still holding onto the feeling that his brother was being possessed even if he was being possessed by himself.

Chris frowned at that. "My being back there affected him?"

"I think I can explain that one," Paige piped up happily. She had put a lot of thought into the situation and had come up with a plausible reason for Chris to be as he was. "See even as baby Chris grew up and became the young man he was meant to be, all of us could see you in him everyday as he grew. Not just your physical characteristics but your mannerisms and your words and the way you thought and acted. Even though he was happier for not having to deal with the pain of losing us and Wyatt turning evil he was still growing up to be just like you." She could see the worried expression on his face. They had after all originally hated him. "And before you go and start worrying just don't. We loved what we saw. It just meant that we hadn't lost you after all. Chris was growing into a man that we already loved and missed dearly anyway. Well when he was twenty-one he suddenly started feeling strange. He told me once that it felt as if something was missing and he wasn't all there anymore. It took lots of time and discussion between us three to realize that he was missing the part of himself that had went back in time. Even though he hadn't physically went himself part of him was still back there anyway. I know Wyatt was very concerned over this but we knew that we just had to wait till you came back for him to feel whole again. And now here you are."

"But why couldn't you tell me what was happening?" Wyatt asked, still not happy with being left in the dark. He was happy to hear that this Chris wasn't much different than the one he had grown up with but part of him still worried that things would never be the same again.

Piper took over the explanation knowing it was her place to explain it to her son. "This won't sound right to you Wyatt, but it's something we lived by for many months while we waited for Chris to be ready to tell us who he was. It wasn't our place to tell you. It was Chris'. This Chris. The one who lived all that and gave up everything to try to save you, to save us all. And we also needed him in this timeline before we did anything more to try to save your father. Because I think it's gonna take both of you to be able to do it."

Chris had still been gaining new memories as they spoke and it was becoming hard to keep his attention on both what his mother was saying and on what was running through his mind. But then a new memory that shocked him to his very core started to play in his mind.

_"Wyatt, this is a bad idea," Chris said for the fifth time._

"_Don't you want to see him?" Wyatt asked his eyes traveling to the heavens._

"_But the ban. None of us can orb up there. Mom said it was because they did something that pissed them off a long time ago." Chris normally would have followed his brother anywhere but for the past couple of weeks he had started to feel funny and the idea of attempting what his brother suggested was frightening in his current state._

_Wyatt smiled smugly at his brother as he looked out over the city. They were standing on top of the Golden Gate Bridge. He knew how much Chris enjoyed going up to the bridge and had picked this one spot to help to convince his brother of his idea. "I told you, I did it on accident last week. But that just means their ban is not strong enough to hold me out anymore."_

"_But what if he doesn't want to see us? He never has before," Chris suggested sadly. _

"_Then we just orb back down here and never go up there again," Wyatt answered. He knew it wasn't all that simple and it would be very difficult on Chris. Chris had never met his father, not once. Wyatt had and he even slightly remembered it, and he thought that Chris should at least have one chance to meet him. He deserved that much._

_Chris swallowed hard. This was not an easy decision to make. His mother would be furious if she knew what they were considering. But still, to just have one chance. Just once to see the man that their mother had loved and honestly Chris believed she still loved. He had caught her on several occasions just staring sadly at their wedding photo. Neither he nor Wyatt could understand why she was so willing to just let him go forever if she still loved him so much. "Okay. We'll go. If for nothing else we'll do it for Mom."_

_Wyatt smiled broadly and reached over to take his brother's arm. The look on his face was a mixture of sadness but also mischeive, which in itself should have told Chris to be concerned._

_When they appeared they stood in a chamber that was completely white. The walls, floor, and everything within was white except for the beings that all turned to them. They were all wearing golden robes and most were making fast clicking noises. But then one figure came forward and they could see that he was not dressed in Elder robes but instead wore a dark suit and dark scholar's robes. "What are you doing here? It is forbidden," Gideon asked sharply his anger at seeing them reflected in his tone of voice. He was looking at Chris the most though and they could both see a small amount of fear on his face. That was strange but it was soon dismissed as Wyatt began to speak._

"_We want to see him. We have a right to speak to him," Wyatt said crossing his arms over his chest in an act of defiance against the powerful being. _

"_You have no rights here," Gideon said scowling at the young man's impudence. Again Gideon gave Chris a scathing look as if it was he that was instigating all of this._

_Chris felt deep down that something was very wrong about this situation. He felt as if he should know this Elder before him for some reason. "Wy, let's just go home. This isn't worth it."_

"_No, Chris. I won't go home until you've at least had the chance to meet our father. I want Leo Wyatt out here, now!" Wyatt wasn't about to leave until he got exactly what he wanted. But what he wanted the most was to ask why. Why had he abandoned them? Why had he ever had a family if he had no intention of ever caring for them?_

_The room silenced and one of the Elders stepped forward removing his hood. Chris and Wyatt both recognized him from the wedding picture and he didn't look any different than the day he had married their mother. "Who are you?" he asked in confusion._

_Both young men stared in complete shock at their father's words. Did he truly not even know who they were? Had he never even bothered to look in on them with or without their knowledge? "We are your sons, Father! Wyatt and Chris. You know the two kids you abandoned," Wyatt said bitterly._

_Chris swallowed hard over the lump in his throat and said nothing. He couldn't believe that he was actually standing in front of his father and the man didn't even seem to know him at all._

_Leo shook his head in confusion. "I have no sons."_

_Wyatt seemed shocked even by that one. Now he was denying that they were even his. The utter hipocrisy of it astounded him. "You might want to tell Mom that, because she seems to think different. You know, Mom, Piper, the woman you married."_

_Leo looked around to his fellow Elders wanting an explanation but not sure who to turn to. His eyes finally found Gideon. "What is this, Gideon?"_

"_Nothing you need to be concerned with, Leo," Gideon answered waving his hand in front of Leo and orbing him away. "You two need to go. He doesn't want you here. He has forgotten you and wants it to stay that way. We are his family now and the only ones he needs." His words were laced with malice as he orbed away leaving them standing in mute silence._

_Wyatt screamed in anger and then grabbed his brother's arm and orbed them back to the top of the bridge. Once they appeared safely Chris pulled away from Wyatt and went to sit on the edge of the bridge to stare down at the cars below them._

_Wyatt was pacing back and forth and if Chris had cared to look he would have seen the anger coloring his brother's features. But he didn't need to look. He knew it would be there. "I hate him!" Wyatt yelled at the top of his lungs._

_Chris flinched slightly but did not answer. He wanted to be able to agree with his brother, to be able to yell it out and truly mean it but for some reason he felt just how wrong that was deep down inside and could not agree. Instead he just felt a deep sense of loss._

"_I swear to god, if I ever see him again I'm gonna vanquish him," Wyatt vowed._

_Chris did decide to speak at that. "You can't vanquish an Elder, Wy."_

_Wyatt looked down at his brother's back and it was not hard to hear the sadness in his voice. "Just watch me. If it can be done, I'll do it."_

_Chris shook his head from side to side. "You can't, Wy. He's still our father and Mom still loves him."_

"_He doesn't deserve her love," Wyatt came back bitterly but he knew his brother was right. "Fine, I won't vanquish him, but as far as I'm concerned from this day forward, I have no father."_

_Chris flinched yet again. He knew Wyatt meant it. It was painful to hear and he knew he couldn't talk him out of it, but still he couldn't agree with him. He very much wanted to have a father, no matter what Wyatt said._

Chris pulled himself from the memory and stared over at his brother and he felt a deep sense of sadness, seeing that Wyatt was in very much the same position that he had been in before he ever traveled back in time. Wyatt hated Leo and it was going to be very hard to convince him otherwise. "Did you tell them?"

Wyatt looked at him in confusion. "Tell them what?"

"Tell them that we saw him a year and a half ago," Chris stated knowing that he probably hadn't.

"What?" Piper asked in confusion.

Wyatt sighed looking at his mom. "We decided it would be too hard for Mom to know what was said, so we kept it to ourselves."

Piper blanched. Her sons had seen their father and apparently nothing good had come from it. "Wyatt, I had a right to know."

"I'm sorry, Mom," was all Wyatt could say as he looked away from her, not able to look at her.

"Wy, it's not his fault. You can't hate him for this," Chris said his voice strong and demanding. He wasn't gonna let his brother take this out on his father. "They made him forget us. He never wanted that. I know it as surely as I know that you are good and Mom is alive now."

"It's not so easy to just let go of, okay," Wyatt said bitterly standing and stalking from the room.

"Oh my god. How did we let this happen?" Piper asked her heart clenching tightly. She hadn't ever guessed that Wyatt was holding so much resentment towards his father.

Chris hated to see his mom blame herself for what was happening. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't any of their fault. The only beings responsible for this were the Elders and he meant to do something about it. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll help him get through it and we will fix it."

* * *

_A/N: Well what can I say? Gideon is still a jerk. Wyatt still gets to be angry and a little on the dark side and Chris is gonna take charge. Sound like a good idea to you? It does to me. _


	28. Something Missing

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Chapter 28 Something Missing**

It wasn't hard for Chris to find his brother. Even with all of the changes they had went through Wyatt was still Wyatt and he could have sensed him a world away. So Chris orbed onto the top of the bridge, still thinking that it was ironic that they had somehow found that place even without Leo there to show it to them first.

Wyatt was standing on the edge of the bridge looking up to the heavens of all places. "Dad would be happy to know that we still come up here. I remember the first time he brought us up here," Chris started to tell the story but realized that that had not actually happened in this timeline. Wyatt turned and gave him a dark look. "Sorry, I forgot that was from my other timeline. It wasn't that good a memory anyway. Dad sort of forgot I was there and I nearly fell from the bridge."

Wyatt's eyes widened in horror. "And that's something you want to remember?"

Chris shrugged. "I'm not trying to make you feel neglected Wyatt. I know it's hard for you to hear about the memories I have of Dad but you need to hear them. You need to know all of it if you're ever going to be able to deal with it. And to set the record straight for me it is a good memory. Dad was in my life then, even if he was a rotten bastard to me he was a part of my life. I'd take that over a life without him anyday."

Wyatt shook his head in disbelief. "I don't get you, Chris. That makes no sense at all. If he was such a horrible father then why not leave things as they are? We are happy right now. No one is evil. Mom and the Aunts are very much alive. Why not leave well enough alone?"

Chris stood very still for several minutes trying to decide exactly what to say. He knew that those words probably made sense to his brother but Wyatt had never seen just how great a father Leo could be when the Elders weren't in the picture. "Wy, how happy are we really? Is mom happy? Don't the Aunts miss Dad? They once told me that they could barely function without him in their life. And look at you. You're becoming consumed by hate for a man that was willing to clip his own wings and become mortal to save you from becoming evil."

Wyatt threw his head up and closed his eyes sighing in frustration. "I don't know that man, Chris. All I know is the man that looked me straight in the eyes and said he didn't have any sons. I don't know how you expect me to just forget that."

Chris understood his brother's mindset. Hadn't he truly hated Leo when he first went back in time? All he was able to see was the man that had mistreated him for so many years. It had taken quite some time to see past that and find the man that he loved. The man that he truly considered to be his father. "Wy, at one point in time I hated him just as much as you do right now. I hated him for everything he was and everything he wasn't. I hated him because of the way he treated me and I hated him because he couldn't save you or Mom." Chris had to admit this. He knew Wyatt would never believe what he was about to say if not. "But then I met a completely different man when I went back in time. A man that the Elders hadn't gotten to yet. He may have hated me for a while there when I was being that lying, manipulative, jerk but once the truth was out he showed me just what type of man he really could be. He sat and talked to me and he listened to my hopes and fears. He took care of me when I was sick and almost dying. He gave me everything he had to take my pain away. I watched that man who loved his family enough to do anything for them. I watched him kill to protect me even though he knew there would be a penalty if 'they' found out. And then again I watched him holding you in the nursery late at night whenever you'd have a nightmare and he was the gentlest being on the planet then. You could always see his emotions in his eyes, Wy, and whenever he looked at Mom or one of us it was as if he was the happiest man alive and I knew that he'd die a thousand times over just to have us in his life. That is the father that I want back, Wy. That is the father that I want you to have in your life."

Wyatt had lowered his eyes as Chris spoke. He could see in his own brother's eyes all of the emotions he was going through. He truly did love their father more than Wyatt could ever imagine possible. "It's so ironic. When I took you 'up there' I wanted you to get a chance to meet him. I thought that it wasn't fair that you hadn't ever gotten to meet your father. Now look at us. You know him so much better than I do." He paused for a moment almost afraid to continue with his thoughts. "Chris, I'm ashamed to admit this but I took you up there so you'd hate him as much as I did. I didn't want to be alone in the way I felt about him. I wanted to share that with you. I guess I figured if you felt that way too that it wouldn't be wrong for me to hate him." Wyatt looked truly sorry for what he was admitting and Chris could sense just how much it was tearing him up inside. "But you know what? Even after that, you never hated him. I could see it in your eyes. You wanted him to love you even then. I never understood why, but I guess part of you always knew what he could be."

Chris smiled at that thought. He was glad that his new self was able to still love Leo even though he never really knew him. "He still can, you know."

Wyatt turned away from Chris at those words shaking his head. "How, Chris? You saw the memory. He can't even remember us and that other Elder is shielding him from us anyway. It's hopeless."

Chris walked up close to Wyatt and gently took his shoulder in his hand and pulled him around to face him. "You heard Mom. It's just gonna take both of us. My other self didn't really try to bring Dad back. He didn't know what to do and he was already confused because he didn't feel whole. But I'm whole now and I'm willing to try." Chris found it rather strange to talk about himself as if he was another person but he knew that until the memories were complete in his mind he'd probably see it that way and maybe for some time afterwards.

"So you want to go 'up there' again?" Wyatt asked skeptically but he knew deep down inside that if it was what Chris wanted to do he'd do just that. He had never been able to tell his little brother no when it came to the important stuff.

"Yes and no," Chris answered beginning to form a plan in his mind. "They are way to organized 'up there', but don't worry, I know how to fix that. I need a little time though. These memories pouring into my head are distracting me. By tomorrow I'm thinking the merge will be complete or at least close to it. Then you and I have a father to save."

* * *

Chris had been right for the most part. It had taken all of the rest of that day and that night for his memories to merge into something that resembled a semi-normal existence. To him it seemed almost as if he had lived two lives back to back with his time in the past as a middle barrier. He realized that that was probably the only way his mind could understand what it had went through. And it did make sense to him even if in a way it made him feel twice as old as he really was. 

"Okay, you've been pretty closed lip about what we are going to do here," Wyatt stated as he and Chris stood atop the bridge again the next day.

"Yeah, I guess I have but I wanted to make sure you were capable of a few things before I committed to my plan," Chris explained.

"Like what?" Wyatt asked frowning.

"Like what active powers do you have?" Chris asked. He knew what powers Wy had had in his original timeline but they were very advanced due to his lack of inhibitions. Chris was hoping that somehow Wyatt had retained some of them though.

Wyatt thought it was a fair question. After all they might actually end up having to fight Elders to save their father. "Of course there's the orbing, tele orbing and the healing, courtesy of being half Whitelighter. I also have an advanced form of telekinesis that is very powerful. I can manipulate objects to go exactly where I want them with that. It comes in a lot handier than your normal swipe and throw technique like what you use."

Chris nodded. Wyatt had had those since he was a baby so it was no surprise. "What else? No chance that you can throw energy balls is there?"

The look on Wyatt's face said just what he thought of that idea. "Chris, that's a demon power. Why would I have it?"

Chris just smiled at that and said, "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Wyatt's eyes widened in surprise. "No! Are you really saying that I had that power in the other timeline?"

He nodded and went on. "You could also shimmer, had almost supper human stength and could choke someone by just clenching your fist. That one's an extension of your telekkinesis." With that Chris reached up and rubbed his own throat remembering his own experience with that power.

Wyatt's glee turned to guilty fright. "Oh, I didn't."

Chris held his hand out grasping Wyatt's arm. "Hey, it's okay. I'm alive aren't I?"

Wyatt pulled his arm away from Chris' hand. "No thanks to me it seems."

"Wyatt, you need to understand something. Just as I can forgive Dad for what he did in my old timeline, I feel the same about you. You know he even told me once that whenever I made it back to this timeline I couldn't hold it against you; all the things you did in my original timeline. He was right and I don't. And even if I could hold all that against you, I'd still have to admit that you did everything in your power to protect me as we grew up. You were a very good older brother, Wy, in both timelines. The best as a matter of fact." Chris wasn't about to let his brother start down the same old track of guilt that the rest of his family had traveled over the past year and a half. This Wyatt hadn't ever done anything to harm him and he wanted to make sure that he understood that. "So, how about we get back to those powers."

Wyatt shook his head slightly. This Chris seemed just as driven when he set his mind to something as the one he had grown up with. Correction, they were the same person. Wyatt had to keep reminding himself of that. "All right. I still wield Excalibur even though I don't really do that too often. It feels strange to see myself as the next King Arthur or something."

Chris understood that one too. Even his own Wyatt from the other timeline had felt that way to some extent, preferring his other powers to using the sword. "And what about your shield?"

Wyatt made a face at that. "Aren't shields sort of for children, Chris? I mean, yeah it comes in handy at times but I'm usually on the offensive in a demon hunt not the defensive."

Chris chuckled slightly. "Well I guess this is one thing you do need to learn. The Wyatt in my timeline adjusted his shield to grow and not only to keep attackers out but to keep his prey in, so to speak. It came in handy when he was after beings that could orb or shimmer."

Wyatt formed a slight "o" with his mouth. "Wow, never thought about that one, but it shouldn't be too hard to do." With that he concentrated on throwing up his shield around them. He had always been able to include others in his shield but they could get out by simply walking or orbing away but today he was concentrating on making his shield hold Chris in. "Try to get out," he said as he finally thought he had it right.

Chris obeyed and tried to orb away only to meet a barrier that threw him back to the hard metal below him. "Ouch. I forgot how much that hurt."

"Sorry, but at least it worked," Wyatt pointed out as he lowered the shield.

"Yes it did, now I think we are almost ready," Chris said climbing back to his feet.

"So, do you want me to just orb us 'up there' or do you want me to try to sense him in particular?" Wyatt asked ready to take them where they needed to be.

Chris had neglected to tell one part of his plan because he wasn't so sure what the others would think about it. "Neither, yet. We need to go back to the Manor."

Wyatt looked in confusion at his brother. What could they need from the Manor he wondered but followed his brother's orb trail anyway ending up back in the attic. All three of the sisters were there also and they stared strangely at Chris as he looked through a few things until he found what he wanted. Then he walked over to a bare wall and started to draw on it.

"What are you doing, Chris?" Piper asked in concern. She could see exactly what he was drawing and she had started to feel panic gripping her heart.

He looked back at her and smiled. "You didn't think I'd try this in this timeline did you? What good is it to get Dad back if we still have to miss a quarter of our lives with him?"

"Chris, don't you think you've pushed the time travel thing just about as far as you should?" Phoebe asked in concern. What if he somehow messed it up, she worried. What if he caused something horrible to happen? "We sort of figured you'd just try to save him in this timeline."

"No, I don't think I have pushed it nearly far enough," Chris answered turning back to the drawing of the Triquetra. He had thought it through the night before and he knew that the only way to truly save them and to give Wyatt the father he deserved was to make the change in the past, not now. He was petrified that even if he could win his father back for them that it would be too late to fix what was between he an Wyatt.

He could tell that his mother and Paige were about to add their own concerns to the discussion but he cut them off before they could. "Listen, after everything I've went through to fix this timeline, do you think I would give up only partway?" He turned on those words and they could all see the look of determination on his face. "Yes, I saved Wyatt from becoming evil and you all lived this time around and from what you've told me even Grandpa Victor didn't die. All of those things are awesome but it's not done, not without Dad. And I'm gonna tell you right now that I will do this a hundred times if I have to until I get it right."

Piper could see the obsession in her son's eyes and feared it slightly. Part of her wondered if just maybe he had taken this too far this time. She crossed over and stood next to him with her hand on his arm looking up into those expressive crystal green eyes. "Chris, you don't have to do this. You don't have to give up your entire life to try to save us again. You've earned a break."

Chris shook his head fiercely. "I don't want a break, Mom. I want my family. All of my family. Do you realize that in that past timeline I'm gonna be born tomorrow? I'm gonna be born and you and Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige are gonna be there to welcome me home and you are all gonna spoil me and let me get away with murder as I grow older, and Wyatt and I are gonna fight just like brother's will but he'll always protect me, because that's what big brothers do. But there is still gonna be something missing. Something that I'll always want but won't be able to quite reach and I'm not gonna be whole until he's apart of my life. I don't want to let him slip away."

Wyatt walked forward and took the chalk from Chris' hand and for one second there Chris thought he'd have to fight his brother to get them to let him do this, but to his surprise Wyatt walked over to the wall and finished the drawing for Chris. "Well 2004 here we come," he said finishing it and throwing the chalk down turning back to his brother. "I said I trusted you, Chris, and I meant it."

* * *

_A/N: Yes, I can say roller coaster ride and yes that is what I'm putting poor Chris through. Let's see, original future, past, original future (Chris-Crossed), past, changed future, past… And so on and so forth. Poor guy and Wyatt even gets to come along this time too... Oh and yes I do realize that I did not give Wyatt any really cool new powers like I often see in fics but I figured that just advancing his powers to a point beyond any of the other members of his family would be enough to fit his strongest Halliwell power title. It just makes more sense to me that way. And besides if I make him too powerful the fight with the bad guys won't be as much fun. See there is method behind my madness._


	29. Surprise Attack

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Chapter 29 Surprise Attack**

"I promise, Mom, we'll be back as soon as we can and besides we are about to go see the younger version of you again. Don't tell me you didn't worry when you never heard from me again after I left," Chris chided her knowing exactly how worried she probably had been wondering for years if everything had turned out okay for them. He had wrapped her in a tight hug and could feel the tension in her, knowing how great her fear must be at that moment.

"Of course I worried," she scolded him slightly but gave him a large smile knowing they were gonna do this with or without her blessing. "Just be careful, okay," Piper said hugging him back, resigned to the fact that her son was once again gonna go back and try to change time. Correction, both of her sons were.

Paige gave them each a hug as well shaking her head the entire time, but not saying a word.

"What?" Chris asked tired of waiting for her sarcastic comment, which he knew she was dying to say.

Paige scowled. "I thought I told you that you only got one goodbye. Now if you count the last one and this one and you'll have to come back here again, that will make three. You are seriously pushing it, kiddo."

Chris couldn't help chuckling at that. "Aunt Paige, I've always been the pushy type, you know that."

She rolled her eyes and slapped him playfully on the arm. "Yes, I remember all those late night demon hunts you insisted we go on. The only way to shut you up about it was to just give in and go."

Wyatt couldn't quite smother his laughter under his breath with that one. "That's one thing that has never changed."

Phoebe had just given Wyatt a hug and wished him luck but when she turned to Chris she couldn't help making an observation. "You do realize that if you pull this off, you'll now have three sets of memories floating around in that skull of yours and Wyatt will have two."

Wyatt really hadn't taken that part into consideration. "Yeah, how confusing is that exactly?" he asked Chris seeing as he already had two sets himself.

Chris shrugged. "For me it's not that bad since I have a good grasp of how time travel works but, Wy, well you never were the bright one, so you might be in some trouble." Chris had adopted an impish grin with that statement and waited for his brother to explode.

Wyatt nodded once and then it struck him. "Hey! Oh you just wait till I get you back here. You are gonna pay little brother."

Chris smiled broadly, " Now that's the Wy I'm used to."

Wyatt also smiled rolling his eyes right along with it. "Yeah, and you're the Chris I'm used to too. No doubt about that one."

Chris nodded and turned to the Triquetra symbol on the wall, "Let's say we do this."

Wyatt joined him and Chris pulled out the spell and a pencil to make a few changes. "Okay, it's ready. Say it with me, Wy."

The both began to chant together.

_Hear these words,  
__Hear the rhyme,  
__Heed the hope within our minds,  
__Send us back to where we'll find,  
__What we wish in place and time._

With that the Triquetra glowed blue and the brothers stepped into the portal and back through time again. When they stepped into the attic back in 2004 no one else could be seen around.

"So I wonder where they are," Chris asked but it wasn't long before they got their answer. All three of the Charmed Ones orbed into the attic and Piper's hands were up ready to defend before she realized that her sons were standing before her.

"Whoa, Mom, chill! It's just us," Chris yelled as Wyatt's shield automatically rose around them.

"Chris!" She immediately moved forward wanting to grab him in a fierce hug but she was stopped by Wyatt's shield. When she got within a few inches of the shield she noticed Wyatt with him. "Wyatt, is that really you?" she asked staring at the very different version of her grown son than the one she had most recently seen.

Wyatt had been slightly shocked to see his mother looking so young and so very pregnant. "Sorry, forgot the shield," he said as he let it drop.

Piper walked forward nervously. She glanced at Wyatt and then at Chris, who was smiling from ear to ear with that 'look what I did' look. She reached out a hand and softly touched Wyatt's cheek and could see the smile that that elicited. "My baby boy. You look so good to a mother's heart," she whispered as tears collected in her eyes.

Wyatt knew that this version of his mother had only seen the evil grown version of himself from Chris' other timeline so he also knew that she'd need to be reassured that he was good now. So he reached out wrapping her in a hug, making sure not to squeeze her too tight. "You are looking pretty good yourself, Mom. Not to say that you don't look awesome in the future that is, because you sure do."

With those words he had told her what she wanted to know. He was good and she was alive and very much loved by her sons. He held her for a very long moment and then let her go so she could greet her other son.

"And you, young man, had me scared to death," she said wrapping Chris in a tight hug too. "You never told me how I was supposed to know whether things were good or not in the new future. I guess I was just supposed to wait twenty years or so to find out."

"Sorry, Mom. I was so caught up with Wyatt and seeing you and the aunts alive and trying to incorporate an entire new set of memories into my head," he answered returning her hug. He really had hated the idea that he hadn't been able to let them know everything was okay but this little trip would make up for that.

As she hugged him though and heard his words one thing seemed to be missing from what he said. "And your father?" she asked pulling back biting her lip nervously.

Chris just shook his head and then admitted what he knew would hurt her to hear. "The Elders have pretty much wiped his memories. Wyatt and the other version of me orbed 'up there' about a year and a half ago. It didn't go well."

Piper took a deep breath willing herself not to cry at the thought of never seeing her husband again. "So, you came back here to try to change it."

"With Wyatt here, I think maybe we can," he admitted giving his brother a small smile. His confidence was at an all time high with his brother there beside him. It had been a long time since they had fought on the same side but it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

"Yeah, you never did tell me what the game plan was, Chris. I think maybe it's time," Wyatt suggested caught up in his brother's excitement.

Chris nodded and they all took seats as Chris started to explain what they were gonna do.

"And what about us?" Paige asked hearing that his plan seemed to only consist of he and Wyatt.

Chris shook his head. "You three are gonna be right here waiting for Mom to go into labor," he explained motioning to his mother's rather large stomach. "Which by my calculations should be sometime tomorrow morning."

"Hello, tomorrow morning. You guys are going to do all this tonight. Why can't we help?" Phoebe griped seeing the error in his figuring.

Wyatt and Chris looked towards each other and knew they were about to piss the aunts off. "Because we can't risk anything happening to you two," Chris explained in a reluctant voice.

"Excuse me, you've been risking us for a year and a half now, Chris. What's so different about this time?" Paige asked an angry scowl darkening her face.

Chris didn't want to answer that but Wyatt knew what his brother was thinking so he did for him. "Because in Chris' original timeline you were already dead. He didn't want you to die any earlier but if it happened he wouldn't be changing things as much. But now in the new future you are very much alive. We can't risk anything jeopardizing that now. We are too close to having the future we want to risk blowing it now."

Phoebe and Paige looked at each other and neither of them liked the explanation. But before they could comment several demons shimmered into the room along with two Darklighters. They had been taken slightly by surprise but between Chris, Wyatt and Paige they managed to fend off the first volley of energy balls and arrows as the family scattered.

The fight seemed to drag on and on, as several more demons appeared to replace the ones that they were vanquishing. For a few brief minutes the Halliwells all managed to duck behind the couch to take a breather. Phoebe was doing everything in her power to just keep Piper down, who was having none of that. She wanted to defend her family just the same as the rest of them. None of them wanted to risk her at that moment though.

"What the hell is this? Mom never said anything about an attack on the day before you were born." Wyatt asked Chris as he popped up and sent an incoming energy ball back at the demon that had thrown it.

Chris also popped up just as a Darklighter arrow sped towards his head. Paige saw it and orbed the arrow away. "Thanks, Paige. Wy, I'm not sure. Maybe someone sensed that we came back in time. The amount of magic you possess on top of the time portal could have alerted someone that something big was up in the Manor today."

"But who?" Wyatt asked standing and deflecting a fireball this time, frying the Darklighter that had shot at Chris.

Chris hated to admit what he was thinking. But something just seemed to click in his mind. "Well, Gideon did try to kill me once before."

For some reason Wyatt seemed surprised by that. "Wait, that Elder that we saw with Dad in the future. You said a demon tried to kill mini-you, not an Elder."

"The demon was working for Gideon. He admitted it before he took Dad. And remember he was holding mini-you with an Athame on you at the time. That is one Elder who is anything but a Pacifist," Chris explained popping up and tking the last demon against a coat hook on the wall. The demon imploded sending demon goo all over the attic.

They all stood and looked around at the mess that was left in the attic. "Wy, you get clean up duty this time," Chris said grimacing at the amount of nasty demon innards that was spread though out the room.

"Nope, you know the rule. Last one to vanquish, is first one to clean," Wyatt countered teasingly at his brother.

"Not to interrupt you two but I'm thinking the mess is gonna be a little worse this time," Piper said grabbing a hold of Phoebe's arm and bending over in pain.

"What's wrong, Piper?" Phoebe asked sensing her sister's fear and pain.

"I think my water just broke," she answered gritting her teeth.

Both Chris and Wyatt's eyes widened in horror. "What you can't. It's not time yet," Chris said in fear. He knew for a fact that his mother wasn't supposed to go into labor until the next morning. She would have told him if it had been any sooner. As it was she only mentioned the twelve hours of labor she suffered at least on every other holiday and birthday to embarrass her son in front of the rest of the family.

"Tell that to him, or you, oh whatever, you know," she said trying to stand straight again. "Phoebe, I think I need to go to the hospital."

"Right away." Phoebe was very concerned. She couldn't see any reason why the baby would come early, unless the shock of the demon attack had something to do with it.

"I'll get Wyatt, or baby Wyatt I mean," Paige said orbing away to the nursery.

Chris was very frightened. What if in coming back in time again he had somehow endangered himself or his mom? "Mom?" he asked his voice trembling slightly.

"I'll be fine, Chris. Just get your dad, okay. I don't want him to miss your birth," she said reaching out and squeezing his hand. "He'd never forgive himself."

Chris nodded but he still was afraid of leaving her. He was beginning to wonder if they were somehow being punished because he was fooling with time. Had he come back to save his father only to lose his mother in the process?

Piper could see the hesitency in her son. "Chris, babies come early. And you always were the impatient type. It'll be fine. I'll be fine," she assured him knowing that he was probably more concerned with her then he was himself.

* * *

_A/N: Allrighty then. I know that chapter wasn't as exciting as some of the others but I promise next chapter will be._


	30. What Did I Do?

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Okay yeah I know. Last chapter was sort of lame but I certainly had good reasons for writing it which you will see in the next chapter, not this one. But anyhow, this is the beginning of the really good stuff, so enjoy. And I even got it up early to make up for the last chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 30 What Did I Do?**

Chris stood staring out the front door as they disappeared down the street in Phoebe's car. He so wanted to be going with his mother right then but he knew that just wasn't possible. He and his brother had a mission to complete and it wasn't getting done while he let his thoughts dwell on his mother.

"She'll be okay, you know? Whether she realizes it or not she's the strongest Halliwell woman there has ever been, Chris. She won't leave us again," Wyatt wasn't sure how he knew it but somehow in his heart he was sure that his mother would survive.

"Yeah, you're right, Wy. It's just after the seven years I spent without her, it's just hard to let go and trust in everything going right." Chris shut the door and turned back to his brother plastering a look of determination on his face. "But, right now we have bigger fish to fry. It really is about time we do this."

Wyatt smiled at that seeing the strong willed brother he was used to and walked over grabbing his brother's arm. "Time to go." With that they orbed out.

When they appeared both of them were surprised to find themselves in the library at Magic School. "Where are we, Chris?" Wyatt asked in confusion. He had expected to go 'up there' when he tried to sense his father.

Chris had forgotten that since Gideon ran Magic School that this version of Wyatt would have never had the opportunity to attend, so of course he would not recognize it.

"You are somewhere that you shouldn't be," a cold voice spoke up behind them. They both swung around to see Gideon and their father standing near one of the bookcases. The only other person in the room was a witch, whom Chris had been told was named Sigmund during one of his many visits there with his father. "Sigmund, go send a message to the other Elders. I'm afraid I might have to take care of this problem myself," Gideon said placing the book he was holding back on the shelf where he had found it.

Sigmund immediately left the room and Chris tensed at the malicious look Gideon gave him. He could see with that one look that this was not going to be easy. "Gideon, nice to see you again," he said nodding with a matching look of malice.

Leo had a look of confusion on his face. "Gideon, who are they?"

Gideon smiled ironically as he lied without missing a beat. "They are evil, Leo, and it's up to us to stop them."

Leo's eyes widened in surprise. "I thought evil couldn't enter the school," he questioned.

"They can. They are very strong Warlocks from the **future** and they've found a way around our defenses," Gideon explained never taking his eyes from Chris and Wyatt.

Wyatt turned to Chris with a look of extreme rage on his face. "He didn't just say what I think he said, did he? Elders aren't supposed to lie, are they?"

"He'll tell any lie to get his way, Wy," Chris answered moving slightly apart from his brother. He could feel the tension escalating in the room and knew it wouldn't be long till powers started to fly. "That was a nice little welcoming committee you sent to the Manor earlier, Gideon. Since when do Demons and Darklighters take the orders of an Elder?"

"I have no clue what you are talking about, Warlock," Gideon said in an innocent tone.

Too innocent as far as Chris was concerned. What a hypocrit. "Don't you? You tried to have my unborn self killed five months ago by a demon, so this wasn't the first time you've been caught working with them," Chris wanted so dearly to talk to his father but he knew that with Gideon there they'd never be able to convince him of anything. They needed to neutralize the Elder or somehow get Leo away from him, but how?

"I certainly did no such thing, but it is a pity that the demon did not succeed, seeing what you are now," Gideon couldn't help but to jab at Chris just a little no matter how unpacifistic it might sound.

"You know, Chris, I'm already tired of this," Wyatt said pulling a hand up and trying something that he'd only dreamed of being able to do. Within seconds an energy ball appeared in his palm and Wyatt looked as if he'd accomplished the greatest thing in the world.

"No, Wyatt. He'll believe him if you …" But Chris' words were cut off as Wyatt threw the energy ball at Gideon striking him dead center in the chest. Gideon flew back and landed hard against the bookcase behind him. Leo was at his side immediately.

"Wyatt, why did you do that? He'll never believe us if he thinks you are a demon or something," Chris complained looking nervously at his father.

"Hey, you were the one that wanted me to have that power, so don't complain when I figure out how to use it," Wyatt countered slightly miffed that he was being lectured by his little brother.

"Leo, help me defeat them," Gideon said pushing himself forward trying to get up. "The dark haired one is the brains of the pair. Defeat him and the other will crumple in defeat."

"But we are Pacifists, Gideon. We are not supposed to kill any living being, whether good or evil," Leo said helping his friend and Mentor to stand again.

"They will kill us if we don't defend ourselves, my friend, and all the other Elders once they are through," Gideon lied yet again putting as much remorse into his voice as he possibly could. "We have to do it for our fellow Elders. We cannot allow those two to live."

Leo nodded making the decision of what he must do to defend the Elders. They both stood and Chris could see the look in his father's face. He started shaking his head as his father's hands came up and electric arcs shot from them hitting Chris directly in the chest. At the same time Gideon had tried to do the same thing to Wyatt but he was able to deflect the blow back on the Elder who went flying again.

Chris staggered backward from the low energy blow. He was very thankful that his father was hesitant to use the full force of his Elder powers but how long would that last? Chris held both his hands up in a submissive gesture. "Please don't," but Leo, expecting another attack, let loose with another bolt of electricity.

Wyatt turned to see the bolt strike his brother and swiped his hand at the arc sending it flying towards the wall. "What the hell do you think you're doing, you bastard? Do you want to kill your own son?" he screamed in rage, seeing Chris sink to the floor his entire body shaking from the current that had went through him.

The electricity in Leo's hands fizzled out as he heard Wyatt's words and a strange look crossed his face as he looked from one young man to the other. "But I don't have any…"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that one before, but believe me, you do. Two of us as a matter of fact. They just wiped your memory so you wouldn't remember us," Wyatt was keeping a wary eye on Gideon who had started moving again and soon would be back on the attack.

"But…" Leo wasn't sure what to say. He was beyond confused. They were claiming to be his children but he had no recollection of ever having children. Then he looked down to the boy on the floor, Chris, he had heard the other call him. Chris was his father's name and the other one was called Wyatt, his last name. Could it be? Chris looked up to him his face etched in pain but his eyes begging him to listen and believe. Leo gasped when he saw those crystal green eyes that were so much like his own. He moved forward slowly and kneeled in front of the boy searching his face. "It can't be," he whispered.

"Leo, don't listen to them. It's all lies," Gideon called out standing again and sending another energy bolt at Wyatt, who easily deflected it then sent an energy ball flying through the air at his attacker.

Chris reached out one hand hesitantly and touched his father's arm. "Wyatt, take care of Gideon." With that he and his father orbed away and Wyatt blinked in surprise. He wasn't sure what Chris was doing but he had to trust him. So the fight continued.

* * *

When Chris and Leo appeared in the silent room Leo stood and backed away immediately with Chris standing slowly still grasping his stomach, feeling as if he would be ill at any moment. 

"Why are we here?" Leo asked turning around and recognizing the Tribunal Chamber surrounding them.

Chris winced before he started to speak. He still felt as if a thousand watts of electricity were pouring through him tearing up his insides. He knew he really should see about getting that healed soon but for now he had a father to save. "Because this is where it all began for us," he said quietly.

Leo looked at him in confusion and Chris went on. "This is not the first time I've traveled through time. I came back a year and a half ago to fix my families future. A future that the Elders had unknowingly created. A future where my older brother was evil, my mother and aunts were dead, and my father hated the very sight of me."

Leo could see the amount of pain those words were costing the young man but he was still suspicious of him. "You say that I am your father, so who is your mother?"

Chris smiled at that as he thought of his mom. "Piper Halliwell, oldest living sister of the Charmed Ones. I'm sure you've heard of them even if you don't remember them. You were only their Whitelighter for nearly six years."

Leo snorted at that. Of course he knew who the Charmed Ones were. Everyone in the magic community had heard of them but he sure didn't remember being their Whitelighter. That only leant to him disbelieving Chris' story more.

Chris could see the disbelief in his father's eyes. "You saw what my brother did. Do you think any other Wiccan family could produce an offspring capable of the power he holds?"

Leo shook his head. No he didn't know of any. "Okay, so maybe you are a Halliwell, but that still doesn't explain how you can be my son. Neither Whitelighters nor Elders are allowed to be involved with Witches."

"True, but do Witches orb?" he countered. "We had to get that power from somewhere now didn't we?"

Leo knew that there had to be hundreds of explanations why the two Witches could orb. Maybe they had stolen the power or their father was another Whitelighter. "This can't be true," he denied angrily scowling at the young man. The Elders couldn't have lied to him.

Chris could see that denial and realized just how far gone his father truly was and the only thing he could think of to do flashed through his mind. "I guess you leave me with no choice then do you?" Chris asked groaning in frustration at what he knew he had to do. This was going to hurt.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked just before Chris dove at him pushing him backwards and landing on top of him.

Chris knew that he was no physical match for his father but he hoped that he could hold him down long enough to get him where he wanted him. Unfortunately Chris just didn't have the strength to do it and Leo soon flipped him over so he was poised on top of him and to Chris' horror Leo lunged out with a fist striking his jaw. "You are lying. I don't believe you," he said his anger spilling forth as he struck out again and again feeling the rage that was building inside him. All Leo could imagine was that somehow this trickster had managed to make him believe in a dream, one that he had to admit was very tempting but nevertheless a dream. It had to be a trick to get to the Elders, just as Gideon had said.

Chris hadn't expected the fists to fly no matter what else he had expected. He raised his hands to fend off the blows. "Please, Dad, stop," he pleaded unable to fight back knowing he could never strike his father again, no matter how much pain he caused him. "Please, you promised you'd never hurt me again." His voice was filled with all the pain he had felt throughout his lifetime and the sound of it gave Leo pause.

Chris had managed to wrap his hands around Leo's wrists and was holding them just inches above his face. He didn't dare let them go as he looked up into his father's face his eyes misting with unshed tears. "Please, Dad, I don't want to lose you again," he whispered his voice breaking.

Leo shook his head and frowned as if something was trying to pull at his mind that he wanted to keep out but then again it was so tempting to just let it in. Chris glanced from side to side and realized that they had somehow rolled into the center tile. "What did the Elders do to you to make you want to hurt someone you loved?" Chris asked knowing the tile would pick up the memory if it were still there.

And just as he had hoped a memory projected above them and Leo quickly rolled off of Chris as they both stared up at the vision from where they lay on the floor.

"_You tried to have my unborn son killed and now you are threatening the life of my other son. How have the Elders fallen so low?" Leo asked his voice a wave of pure pain._

"_We must survive," was the only answer Gideon would give. "Now, Leo, if you would come over here and stand by me, we shall leave and both your sons will be left untouched. That I promise you."_

_Leo had no choice. For Wyatt he'd have to comply, so he stepped over next to Gideon and waited to be orbed away._

_Gideon laid one hand on Leo's shoulder and as he orbed them away he dropped Wyatt._

_They then appeared in a swirl of blue and white orbs 'up there' and were immediately surrounded by dozens of Elders._

"_Gideon, I will not let you get away with this. You can not tear apart my family just because you see fit to do so," Leo said pulling away from Gideon trying to orb away from them but nothing happened. They were blocking him._

"_Leo, it is for the best to prevent the catastrophe that your future self will bring upon your family," Gideon explained as if talking to a small petulant child._

"_I will bring upon my family! No, you you are the ones that will bring it upon my family with your petty jealousy! You all will destroy my family just to keep me in the fold! That is inexcusable! You have all been corrupted by your own power!" Leo was screaming by then, not caring if every Elder there heard him._

"_That may be the way you think now, Leo. But I promise you this is for the best." With that all of the Elders present began a chant in a language that Leo did not recognize._

_He immediately felt a splitting pain shoot through his head as he collapsed on his knees and then fell to the floor writhing in pain. The last coherent thought Leo could form was the image of his two sons. "Chris, Wyatt," he called softly as if he could somehow bring them to him to fend off what he felt was destroying his mind._

Leo stared numbly at the empty air as the memory faded away and it was as if a dam had broken inside him. Everything that had happened, everything that had been done to him just seemed to flow back into his mind. He grasped his head with both hands holding it tight as he felt it might explode at any moment.

Then the images of his family flowed back into place and tears started to pour down his face as he realized what he had almost lost. He sat there for several minutes that way, as the memories found their rightful place in his mind. When he was sure his head wasn't going to fall from his shoulders Leo turned to his son and saw the concerned look on his face. "Dad?" he asked hesitantly.

"Chris," he said in a half sob as he reached out grasping his son's hand. "Oh, god, Chris. What did I do?"

Chris sighed deeply and was struck with a coughing fit. He immediately sat up leaning forward covering his mouth with one hand. Leo moved forward placing his free hand on Chris' back patting it softly. When Chris pulled his hand back it was covered in blood. Yeah, he really did need to see about getting that healed, he thought again.

"Oh my god, Chris!" Leo said his face going white as a sheet. Then what he had just done to his son struck him like a lead weight. He had tried to kill him; if Chris hadn't pleaded with him to stop… "I'm so sorry, Chris," he said wrapping his arms around his son. Both of his hands began to glow as his healing powers took over and healed the injuries he had caused to his youngest son. "Please, Chris… I don't want to hurt you. I love you. Please forgive…." His voice was choked with sobs and he couldn't finish his plea for forgiveness.

Chris felt the healing touch soak into him like a wave of warm water overtaking him. It healed the hurt in his body just as his father's words healed the pain in his heart. "Dad, it's okay. I'm okay," he said wrapping his arms around his father and burying his head in his chest as the tears began to flow down his face. It didn't matter. He had his father back. The man that he had come so far with, from hate to trust to love in a year and a half's time.

Leo heard the words but knew that he'd never forgive himself for the pain he had caused his son yet again. "I nearly killed you," he whispered, his voice full of pain.

Chris pulled back and looked up at his father. "You couldn't, Dad. I knew you couldn't. I trusted you to pull back and you did. That's why I knew I had to get us away from Wyatt and Gideon. Wy would have never stood back and let me do that."

Leo blinked and a look of amazement crossed his features as if he just realized something. "Wyatt, he's in this time and he's good."

"Yeah, Dad. Yeah, he is. Now we need to get out of here and go help him," Chris said standing quickly and grabbing his father's hand pulling him up too.

Leo shook his head stopping Chris from orbing them back to Magic School. "Chris, there is only one way that I'm gonna completely free myself from the Elders and we both know it."

Chris' breath hitched, as he knew what his father was suggesting. "I know, Dad," he whispered in a pained voice.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, evil cliffhanger there but that's just the way it goes. This is a two-chapter thing. Besides, I'm sure a lot of you are gonna realize what Leo's planning anyway. And no, I haven't forgotten Wyatt or Gideon. They aren't done yet. _


	31. Twice Charmed

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N:** Okay this is a huge chapter. The largest I've ever written but it seems only fair that the most important chapter of the story should be the largest. So without further ado...

* * *

**Chapter 31 Twice Charmed**

Wyatt could sense it the minute his brother and father orbed to the bridge but then again, he noticed, so had Gideon. He had to admit the Elder was a tricky one. He had managed to dodge most of the attacks that Wyatt threw at him and was pretty good at giving them back too. He knew he had to give his brother some time so he threw up his sheild effectively blocking Gideon from orbing out. "Ah, ah. No orbing allowed," he said as Gideon slammed back to the floor.

"Do you think Chris can actually pull this off?" Gideon asked standing and dodging yet another energy ball.

"He is very resourceful actually," Wyatt commented smirking at the Elder as he blocked another attack. "Don't Elders have any other powers worth using? That one's getting old. Heck, when Chris told me that my evil self killed all the Elders in his original timeline it was hard to believe but now that I've fought one, yeah maybe not so much." Wyatt knew he sounded cocky but he knew how to play mind games too and if anyone deserved to have their head messed with it was Gideon.

"Ah, but if you kill me you'll be commiting a great act of evil. Doesn't it worry you that you might still turn into that monster your brother fought so hard to save you from becoming?" Gideon knew he had hit a cord with that one. Wyatt was still afraid of becoming evil and his hand faltered and dropped. Gideon used the distraction to his advantage sending yet another bolt of electricity flying through the air and striking Wyatt in the shoulder. Wyatt pulled away and dove behind one of the couches in the room. _'Damnit, concentrate,'_ he scolded himself as he gripped the painful scorched spot. It was a minor wound but still enough to make him very angry at himself. He should know better than to give any heed to the sadistic bastard's words.

"You do realize that your brother nearly died trying to keep you from becoming that monster. I should know, since I'm the one that sent the demon after your mother." A loud cackle of laughter left Gideon's mouth at that and Wyatt felt his stomach turn at the thought. "And it wasn't the only time. Demon after demon your brother hunted down and vanquished. There were many times he was so close to dying and you're willing to throw all of that away just so you can kill one measley Elder. Funny, I thought maybe your brother deserved better."

"You don't know anything about my brother!" Wyatt yelled in anger and immediately orbed from his hiding space. To Gideon's surprise he reformed directly in front of him with his hand wrapped around the Elder's throat. "And you certainly know nothing about me." His voice sounded callous and harsh as he lifted Gideon and shoved him into the bookcase directly behind him. He knew he could easily use his powers of telekinesis on him to do the same thing but it was so much more satisfying to feel the Elder's throat being crushed between his fingers. "I would die for my brother, and I **will** kill for him too."

Gideon began to gasp for air trying to force words from his mouth. "Can't... kill... at... Magic...School."

Wyatt had no way of knowing whether the Elder lied or not about that one. Chris would know, but Chris was busy with their father. But then again, could an Elder even be killed by mortal means? He highly doubted it, so with a disgusted look he let Gideon go and watched as he crumpled to the floor. "We shall see," he said raising his hand as an energy ball formed there.

Just as he was about to thrust the ball of destruction into the Elder's head Gideon spoke up in a final desperate action. "Go ahead and finish it. Take my life and watch everything you fear come to pass as you become what you most fear. You will become just as evil as you believe I am and history will repeat itself. Just remember in Chris' original timeline The Charmed Ones were dead. It's such a pity that your revenge is worth their lives too."

That statement made Wyatt pause. That couldn't happen. He knew it couldn't. He would never do anything to harm his mother and aunts, no matter what type of person he became. But did he want to risk going down that path? Would he risk ruining everything that his brother had fought and almost died for? Without conscious thought the energy ball fizzled and vanished from his hand as he stared at the bookcase before him lost in his own indecision.

In his moment of distraction Wyatt hadn't even noticed when his sheild faltered. Gideon had done his job well in making Wyatt doubt himself and the Elder disappeared into orbs leaving Wyatt seathing at his trickery. "Damn you, Elder!" he screamed orbing out behind him.

When his orbs reformed he could see his father and brother standing as far away to one side of the bridge as they could. Leo was standing slightly in front of Chris in a protective manner as he faced Gideon with a look of hate covering his face. His father had just said something as he was orbing in that made Wyatt want to scream in relief. "You bastard, where's Wyatt? What have you done with my son?"

"Right here, Dad," Wyatt called from where he stood behind Gideon. He couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips at his father's words. It wasn't every day that you won your father back from evil. And he truly did believe that Gideon was evil. Somewhere along the way the Elder had changed into something that he was never meant to be. But he was still an Elder so did the thought of killing him make Wyatt wrong or not? There was such a fine line between good and evil and right and wrong. Wyatt just wasn't sure how far he was willing to go yet.

Gideon swung around realizing he was in between two very powerful beings that could rip him apart at any moment. At that moment he used his final trick and became invisible.

Leo looked around in fear knowing the Elder could appear anywhere, but where he finally did appear shook him to his very core and he raised his hands to attack immediately.

"Ah, ah, ah. Now, Leo, you wouldn't want to sacrifice your second born for your revenge, now would you?" Gideon said pressing an Athame to Chris' throat. He had managed to appear right behind Chris with one arm wrapped around the witch a deadly looking Athame held to his throat. "The blade has been blessed by both an Elder and a powerful Demon with a curse that makes it twice as deadly. If I cut him you won't be able to heal him."

Wyatt was frozen in shock but Leo just smiled a knowing smile. "Gideon, you are way too obvious," he said casually lowering his hands but then a question sprung to his lips. "There's something I've been wondering about, though. Why Chris? You have been out to kill him for months now and I don't honestly think you've let any opportunity to do so pass you by. You even tried to convince me to kill him. I can understand why you'd be afraid of Wyatt, he being the 'Twice Blessed' and all, but why are you afraid of an ordinary witch?" It shouldn't have made any sense to Leo. He knew that but part of him had been analysing it ever since he had regained his memories. He just needed Gideon to confirm what he feared most.

Gideon didn't quite understand why Leo was smiling but he answered the question anyway. "He knows time travel too well. He can use its ins and outs to his advantage better than anyone I've ever seen and he can also withstand its affects better than most. That is a very dangerous ability to have. To have the ability to change time at will. No being should have that kind of power. And I can't allow him to ruin everything I've worked for by using it. I've done so much and come so far. I will not allow anyone to stop me from acheiving my goal."

"In other words, you fear him because he can go back and change any bad deed you might do. He stands in the way of your plans to dominate all the Elders and eventually the world," Leo said knowing his thoughts had been confirmed. It all made sense.

"The Elders should rule, Leo. You know that. We have the power. We just haven't had the drive until now to carry through with what we are capable of. I have that drive. I can lead them to greatness if I can remove what stands in my way." With that Gideon motioned to Chris.

Surprisingly Chris had remained very quiet during the whole conversation but Wyatt could see a small grin quirk up his lips and it was frightening him to say the least. Did his brother have a death wish?

"Go ahead," a voice spoke up from behind Wyatt causing him to spin around. Standing there with his arms crossed over his chest was Chris and he was not alone. Two Elders were with him standing one on each side of him. They had just become visible and apparently were no longer cloaking Chris.

Wyatt looked from one Chris to the other and then suddenly the one Gideon was holding vanished. "What? No!" Gideon screamed in frustration.

That's when it began to make sense. "You never told me you could Astral Project," Wyatt asked ignoring the Elder's words.

Chris smiled cockily, "Sorry, never crossed my mind," he answered changing his glance to Gideon as a look of complete malice colored his face. "Try that again, and you are dead, Elder."

Wyatt now knew why Leo had been smiling. They had planned this. They wanted Gideon's crimes to be known by the other Elders.

"Gideon, you have broken the trust of the Elders. You manipulated us and have caused great pain to one that should have been as a brother to you." one of the two Elders spoke his voice somber. "This can not be allowed to go on." With those words the other Elder that had remained silent orbed out as did Gideon.

"Wait, where is he?" Leo asked in fear that Gideon had escaped them.

"He is in Tribunal, where I am sure he will be stripped of his Elder powers and recycled back to earth as a mortal," the Elder that had spoken before explained.

"He deserves death," Wyatt said his face becoming a mask of rage. He had made his decision about the Elder and be damned the consequences. That one final act of threatening his brother again had made his decision for him. He now knew that Gideon would have stopped at nothing to kill Chris. That was something he would have never allowed even if it did threaten to change him. He'd have to somehow overcome his own shortcomings to keep the evil from taking him over but with the help of his family he knew he'd manage somehow.

"That is for the Tribunal to decide, not any of us," the Elder answered.

"The Tribunal were not the ones that he betrayed," Leo said angrily giving the other Elder a dark scowl. This was not how it was supposed to go.

Chris had been listening to them argue but knew that his brother and father hadn't realized something yet. "No, this is a much worse punishment for him. To be forced to live a mortal life again, to start all over with no powers and no hope of ever gaining them again. It will be more than he can stand, I assure you." He knew that Gideon craved power above all else in his afterlife and that was the one thing he would never have again. But he also knew how his brother would take that and it wasn't a good thing.

Wyatt thought on his brother's words but even though they made sense they did not fullfill his need for revenge against the Elder for everything that he had done. They deserved their revenge. After everthing Gideon had done to his family they were the ones that deserved to decide his fate but still he was an Elder and that made things complicated. Whether he liked it or not the Elders were very much a part of the magical community and his family would have to deal with them at various times throughout their lives for good or for bad. And the Elders did hold at least a small amount of sway over some of the more important aspects of their lives, at least for the time being. But still he knew that a warning was in order. "Fine then, I will accept the fact that it is your right to punish your own. But I will give you a warning. If ever in my lifetime an Elder decides to interfere in my families affairs, without our asking it of them first, I will be forced to do what is necessary to protect my own. Chris has informed me that you all saw my other self's memory in the Tribunal Chamber and I assure you that even though I did not turn out to be like that, I am still very capable of destroying you all."

Leo understood his son's feelings on the subject. Wasn't it their right? Didn't the deserve a say in it? But like his son he knew he would have to accept it and hope that Gideon ended up somewhere where he could never harm them again.

"Leo, are you going to allow your son to speak that way to an Elder?" the Elder asked in outrage.

"Not only am I going to let him speak that way, I am also going to agree with him whole heartedly. My family is not a play toy for the amusement of the Elders. I will never again allow them to be harmed by any of you. Even though I may be one of you right now, I am a father first and foremost and my family takes precedent over anything else in this world. I will never put anything before them again." Leo knew his words were akin to mutiny coming from an Elder but it didn't matter to him anymore. Nothing mattered accept for those that he loved.

The Elder gave Leo a look of resignation as he realized what he was seeing but still he had to say what the other Elders bade him to say, "Leo, the others and I wish to offer our apologies for what was done to you. We don't want to lose you. You are such a strong power for good and the things you have done for all of us… well you have more than proved your right to be an Elder. But of course, it is your decision." With that the Elder orbed away leaving the father and his two sons standing in silence.

Chris walked forward grabbing Wyatt's arm and pulling him with him until they stood right before Leo.

Leo looked at both his sons and couldn't help the smile that graced his lips. Both of his grown sons standing before him and they were both good and they had both risked everything to save him. "I don't deserve sons as good as you two," he said reaching out and pulling Chris into a hug with one arm. He tried to grab Wyatt too but his eldest son backed away out of his grasp. Leo couldn't help the hurt and confused look on his face.

Chris pulled away from his father slightly so he could look at his brother. "Wy, common. This is the father that I told you about. The one that I wanted for us both."

Wyatt shook his head and backed away even further. "I still don't know him, Chris, and he's still one of them. You don't know what kind of affect that could have on the future. I think I'll wait till we get back there before I make any judgments."

Leo understood his son's concerns then. He realized in Wyatt's future he hadn't been there at all for them. It was not something that Wyatt would be able to overcome so quickly. "I promise you, Wyatt, whatever happens I'll always be there for you whether I'm an Elder or not."

Wyatt couldn't accept those words yet. Not until he knew for sure. "I'm gonna go check on Mom," he said orbing away.

"Sorry, Dad, he's got issues," Chris said staring at where Wyatt had just been. "I really thought he was getting over them though."

Leo nodded in understanding. "It might take some time, Chris, but I'll fix everything that the Elders have done," he vowed pulling away from his son. "And I know how to start doing that right now."

Chris gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?" he asked his tone full of worry.

"Chris, just because Gideon is no longer a threat, that doesn't mean that things don't need to change," Leo answered walking to the edge of the bridge and looking down.

"But you don't have to now." Chris understood why his father would want to do this still but that didn't change the fact that it frightened him.

Leo looked back at his son and smiled. "Yes I do, Chris. Wyatt needs this and honestly so do I. Too much has happened to go back now." Leo knew his son's concerns but he also knew that this was the only way to assure that the Elders would never try to take him from them again. So he gave his son a teasing smile and nodded towards the ground. "I might still need that assist though. What do ya say?"

Chris sighed in resignation. If his father was determined to do this he'd be there for him no matter how much he feared it. "I'll be there, always," he assured him.

* * *

Wyatt walked into the maternity ward at the hospital to find both Phoebe and Paige sitting next to each other with twin looks of worry on their faces while little Wyatt played on the floor oblivious to everything happening around him. They looked up to see him and each tried to smile but failed miserably. "What's going on?" he asked standing before them. 

"The doctor says there are complications. He's not telling us much else," Phoebe said then looked around with a panicked look on her face. "Where's Chris?"

Wyatt didn't realize how strange it would seem for him to be there alone or how in the current situation it could even cause fear. "He's fine. I left him and Dad back on the bridge."

"Leo, he's…" Paige questioned her hopes high.

"He's got his memory back. They should be here soon." He didn't want to mention the scene he had made with his father. Part of him felt really bad about doing it but the part of him that had grown up without a father didn't really care so much. That wound was too raw yet and he wasn't ready to go into it. But for now he had to think about his mother.

Wyatt knew he had told Chris that their mom would be fine and he had believed it at the time but now that the adrenaline rush from saving their father was gone he realized just how worried he really was. As Chris had said, this wasn't supposed to happen. It hadn't happened in either of Chris' other timelines and that bothered Wyatt. "Which room is she in?"

Paige pointed to the room that was closest to them. Wyatt strode over to the door looking through the small square window and could see his mother lying on the bed in a reclining position. She was covered in sweat and looked totally drained and he could see something close to fear on her face. There were several people surrounding her and he could see the doctor talking to her and then he turned and walked towards the door. Wyatt backed off and to the side to let the doctor walk through it and then slipped inside himself. He knew if he was caught they'd send him out but at the moment he didn't care.

Piper was worried. She was very worried. Not for her son, he had been born already and they had taken him into the next room to run all the tests that they normally did and she had been told that he was a healthy baby boy. That had brought her great joy. But the doctor had said that she was bleeding too much. They had given her medicine to try to slow it down but if it did not quit soon they would want to take her into surgery. And that was something that frightened her. Anything could go wrong in surgery. She was petrified by the thought that she might be forced to leave her two sons alone without a mother. What would that do to them? How would they survive? And she still didn't even know if their father was saved yet or not.

But then something made her glance up and her smile brightened as she saw her oldest son sneak through the door. She immediately raised her hands and froze the room. She had to talk to him and didn't want to be interrupted.

* * *

Leo knew he was doing the right thing. His family needed him much more than the Elders did and he needed them just as much. So with a sense of freedom he spread his arms and looked out to the horizon as he let himself fall. Nothing could have described the freeing feeling he felt as the bonds of his immortality were stripped from his soul just before he landed on the pavement below. 

Chris' heart clenched as his father took the plunge. For one brief moment he had had the urge to grab him and stop him from doing such a foolish thing but he stopped himself just in time and watched as his father's body plummeted to the ground below. Then a sickening feeling invaded his soul as he saw his father's unmoving form. He did not stand; he did not get up and walk away. He lay there crumpled like a rag doll and for a brief moment Chris feared the worst.

Without any heed to what anyone would see he orbed down to the pavement below and kneeled next to his father. Cars had begun to stop all around him but he didn't care. The Cleaners could fix it later. "Dad! Dad, talk to me!" he pleaded reaching down and rolling his father's unmoving form over to look up at him. The first thing he saw was the pain in his father's eyes and the second was a piece of metal falling to the ground from where it had pierced his stomach. Chris could see that it was stained crimson. "Oh my god, Dad!"

Leo as always was worried first about his son. What if someone had seen him orb down there? "Chris, get us out of here before anyone else sees," he said grimacing at the pain radiating from his stomach.

Chris didn't care who saw but immediately followed his father's wishes by orbing them back to the Manor. Chris had managed to land his father on the couch with him kneeling beside him. He could see how his father's blood had started to soak his shirt front and the rust colored stain was spreading at an alarming rate. He placed one hand on the gash and pressed in, hoping to staunch the flow of blood. "Dad, you're bleeding. We need help," he said his voice straining with emotion. "Wyatt!" he screamed looking to the ceiling.

Leo could feel his own life draining away as the blood seeped from the wound. He wasn't at all sure that Wyatt would make it in time. How ironic it was that after everything they had suffered through it was the one thing that he thought would save them that would finally end his life and take him away from those that he loved forever.

"Wyatt, Dad needs you!" Chris yelled again seeing his brother was not responding. "Where are you?"

"Chris, please…" Leo said placing one of his hands over his son's bloodstained one. "There's so much I wanted to tell you… So much I never said…"

"No, Dad, don't. You are not gonna die. Wyatt!" he screamed yet again as tears started to stream down his face. Why didn't Wyatt answer?

"I'm sorry, Chris. I wanted to be there for you," Leo whispered as his eyes fluttered shut.

Chris looked down at his father's face and he knew then that they were out of time. "Please, Dad, don't go," he cried letting his head drop down to his father's chest as he wrapped his free arm around him. His heart began to constrict with the emotional pain of what he could see before him. He had only once ever felt so much pain before. _'Just like mom,'_ he thought to himself as a soft sob left his lips. "I never told you… Please, Dad, I love you! Don't leave me." He had never been able to say those words to his father before. He had felt them often enough in the past few months but never had his father heard them from his own lips and now he regretted that more than anything. More sobs began to rack his body as the tears flowed ever stronger down his cheeks. "Don't go," he whispered and those two little words held all of the sorrow and all of the hope that was contained within his heart and soul.

And then oh so slowly Chris began to feel a warmth in his hands flowing out of him and into his father's body. He raised his head and through the tears he could see them glowing. Then something his Aunt Paige had once said to him came to his mind.

_"Chris, love is the trigger, and when your powers are strong enough and the time is right it'll come to you and it will be the most amazing feeling in the world to know that you can save the life of someone you love. It was for me and you'll feel it someday too."_

It had finally happened. Something he had never truly believed could occur. All along he had thought that there was something wrong with him; something lacking within him that had kept that one precious gift from him. Wyatt had been healing since he was a toddler and Aunt Paige had eventually been able to do so too, but he had thought that he had been passed by when it came to that power. But now, he was healing. He could see the wound on his father's stomach close along with the hole in his shirt and the blood that had been there just slowly faded away. His father sucked in a deep breath and his eyes flew open as he sat bolt upright. He looked up to Chris whose hands were still poised above his stomach but had finally stopped glowing. "Chris?" he asked in amazement.

Chris just smiled weakly at his father and wrapped his arms around him. "I love you so much, Dad. Please, don't ever leave me," he whispered through joyous tears.

"I love you too, Chris," Leo whispered hugging his son tight. There was no doubt in his mind that Chris had healed him. No one else could have. His son had finally been able to heal and his trigger had been his love for him. Something that Chris had never admitted to before. Nothing could have made Leo more proud or happier than that one fact.

Chris pulled away and breathed deeply trying to clear his head and hold back the tears. "Hey, how 'bout we go see mini-me being born?" he asked a smile covering his face. "It should be about time."

"I'd like that very much, Chris," Leo answered wiping the tears from his own eyes.

* * *

"Wyatt," she called reaching out her hand to him. "You're hurt," she said noticing the scorch mark on his shoulder first. Always the mother, even in the face of her own weakness. 

"I'm fine, Mom. It's just a scratch," he said taking a seat next to her and taking her hand into his. It was so cold to his touch. "Mom, what's wrong?" he asked rubbing her fingers between his to try to warm them.

"I'm just not feeling so well, baby," she said squeezing his hand then asked what she truly wanted to know. "Chris and your Dad?"

"They'll be here soon," he answered. He could tell that she was being brave for him. "But I'm more worried about you."

Piper closed her eyes in fear for a moment and when they opened he could see tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "They say they might need to do surgery."

Wyatt blanched at that. "But I can heal you, Mom!"

"It's not magic related, Wyatt. I don't think it will work," she answered.

Then Wyatt suddenly heard his brother calling him and he could hear the fear in his voice. But he couldn't leave Mom like that. "Mom, you went into labor early because of that demon attack. If that isn't magic related, I don't know what is."

Piper just smiled at him and nodded giving him permission to try. He placed his hands above his mother's abdomen and realized just how close she was from death. Fear gripped his heart as his hands began to glow. He knew deep down if they had waited for surgery she would have never made it.

Wyatt could hear his brother's calls even louder now but he just couldn't leave his mother yet. He had to save her as much for Chris as for himself. They couldn't survive without her, he was sure of it.

Once it was done he could see the color flood back into her cheeks and a smile crossed her face. "Oh, Wyatt sweetie, how I love you," she whispered reaching out and pulling him into a tight hug.

He returned her hug but pulled away too soon for her liking. "I love you too, Mom, but I need to go check on Chris. I'll be back soon. What ever you do don't let them take you to surgery though."

She chuckled at that and watched him walk from the room then she raised her hands and unfroze the hospital workers around her.

Wyatt stepped into the waiting room and was surprised to see Chris and his father rush into it.

The doctor was still standing next to Phoebe and Paige who both had tears in their eyes.

Leo joined them seeing the fear in the sister's faces. "What's wrong? How's Piper?" he asked in panic.

"Mr. Wyatt, before I go on, your son is fine," the doctor started putting off the inevitable.

Of course he was fine, Leo thought to himself glancing at the grown version of Chris standing beside him but he bit his tongue on that one. "And my wife?"

"I'm afraid she has lost a lot of blood and the bleeding hasn't stopped yet. She's being prepped for surgery right now and we will do what we can for her, but it doesn't look good. I'm sorry." With that the doctor turned and walked back towards Piper's room.

Leo's face took on the look of a man who had lost everything as he sunk down into one of the waiting room chairs covering his eyes with his hands. "No, no, no," he cried in complete anguish. They had all fought so hard to fix everything and now it would be taken away from them when they were so close. "Not her. Please, god, not her," he whispered as sobs racked his body.

Wyatt was frozen in place. He had never imagined that much grief coming from his father but that one moment made him understand why his mother back in his own time still loved him after so many years apart. They were lost without each other. He kneeled down in front of his father and reached out grabbing his hands pulling them away from his face. "It's all right, Dad. Mom's gonna be fine. That doctor has a surprise in store for him when he gets back in her room." The smile that touched his lips was full of mischeive.

Phoebe gasped. "Wait, you healed her, didn't you?"

Wyatt nodded at his aunt. "Her injuries were brought on by the demon attack earlier, so I was able to heal her. She's gonna be fine and so is Chris." He shot his brother a smile and Chris let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

He sank into the chair beside his father with his forehead resting against his palms. "That was too close," he whispered in pain. "If you had stayed with us at the bridge…" He didn't want to finish that sentence or the thought running through his head either. "Wait, when I called you, you were healing Mom."

Wyatt nodded and then frowned remembering why he was in such a rush to leave the hospital after he healed their mother. "Why were you calling me? You sounded scared."

Chris glanced at his father and Leo wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders offering comfort and then answered for him. "Let's just say that you're not the only Halliwell son that can heal now."

Wyatt didn't know what to think of that statement until he took a closer look at his father. There were scratches on his cheek and forehead and something completely different about his aura. "Wait, you took the fall anyway?"

Leo nodded a wistful look upon his face. "My family needed me to do it, and I need my family."

Chris shuddered and spoke up. "Unfortunately he chose to land on a very sharp piece of metal."

"Owww!!!" Paige said sitting on the other side of Leo. All of this information was becoming too hard to process. First Piper was dying and then she was healed by Wyatt and then Leo was dying but he was healed by Chris. "Wait, no fair. Chris can heal. I'm older than him, why can't I?"

Chris laughed at that as he remembered what his Aunt had told him as a young child when he asked her the same thing. "You will, Aunt Paige. You will. You just need to find your trigger."

"Humph! I still say it's not fair." But she was more than pleased that Chris had been able to save his father and Wyatt was able to save their mother. She had to admit that they certainly were charmed.

* * *

_A/N: Well there is only one more chapter left and that will be it for this fic. I'm hoping to have it up tomorrow but I'm hosting another birthday party today so we'll have to see what happens. And yes I do realize that I did not kill Gideon as everyone was begging me too but I thought long and hard about it and decided that considering the fact that killing an Elder would be considered a great evil I didn't want to force that onto the shoulders of our dear young Wyatt, being as impressionable as he is and all, and besides Chris is right. Stripping him of his powers and making him live as a mortal is so much worse punishment for the sick old monster. Besides if I ever decide to write a sequel I can always use him as a villian again, but you didn't hear that here. So last chapter will be up either tomorrow or the next day. I hope everyone enjoyed this one._


	32. Too Long

**Disclaimer:** Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N**: Okay this is it. The last chapter of the story and I have to admit a lot of it is just family fluff. But my do I just love family fluff. As always I hope everyone enjoys it.

* * *

**Chapter 32 Too Long**

"I still think I was a much cuter baby," Wyatt whispered to his brother as they stood in the door to their mom's hospital room as they watched their parents and aunts fussing over the new baby. Wyatt was holding his smaller counterpart who had taken as much a liking to him as he had his brother.

A small smile graced Chris' lips as he thought about that statement. "You know, Wy, I'd have to agree with you on that, but can you explain to me what happened when you grew up?"

Wyatt shot his brother a sour look and then walked forward into the room. Once he was standing next to the hospital bed he leaned over so little Wyatt could see the baby. "Hey, buddy, you see him. Well that is your little brother and it's your job to take care of the little squirt."

The younger version of Wyatt looked wholly unenthused at the suggestion, which they could all see. "Yeah, I know, he doesn't look like much right now, but someday you're gonna want him around."

Little Wyatt just blew bubbles at that suggestion as he turned to play with the buttons on his older self's shirt.

Chris had walked forward and was trying very hard to keep his laughter under his breath. "You never did listen very well, bro,"

"Yeah, your laughing now but I hope you remember how funny it is when he starts orbing you out of the house," Wyatt countered.

Piper and Leo both shared looks of terror at that statement and Wyatt quickly qualified his words. "Only to Grandpas. Don't worry."

"He says don't worry," Piper said her voice slightly strained.

Leo just chuckled. "Guess I better get used to visiting Victor then." It wasn't his favorite pastime but he also knew just how much Victor had meant to Chris in his first timeline so they'd just have to get over their differences for the boys sake.

Wyatt smiled but it was easy to see how strained it was. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Chris' birth and the oldest Halliwell brother had yet to say more than two sentences to his father, which was beyond frustrating for both Chris and Leo. They both understood Wyatt's unwillingness to get too close to Leo but it made what should have been a joyous celebration into a less than perfect one. "Hey, Wy, lets go find something to eat. I'm starving," Chris suggested and Wyatt nodded in agreement as he handed his younger self to Paige. "You guys want anything?"

Everyone else shook their heads in the negative but Piper called out just as they orbed away. "Clean up when you're done."

"How do you know they're going to the Manor? Maybe they're gonna go for a burger or something." Paige asked in surprise.

Leo answered that one for her though. "In the year and a half Chris was here did you ever see him buy anything? He never has any money." They had to admit that was true. It wasn't as if Chris had time to hold down a job.

"They're not going there to eat anyway," Phoebe suggested staring off into space a look of sadness on her face. She knew that Chris wanted to have a private talk with Wyatt. She had recently become very good at reading both her nephews. Even Chris was no longer a mystery. Apparently that empath blocking potion, which none of them were supposed to know he took, didn't last forever and now that he wasn't trying to keep secrets from her his emotions came more freely to her mind.

Piper and Paige both gave her curious looks but she shared a look of understanding with Leo. He had been thinking the same as she had. "Don't worry, Leo. If anyone can get through to him, it's Chris."

Leo nodded his agreement. "I know, Phoebe. I'm just wondering if anything short of him going back and seeing the future will convince him that I can be a good father. I don't really want to have to wait twenty-three years for my son to realize just how much I love him."

Paige handed him little Wyatt and said the only thing she knew might help the pain her brother-in-law felt. "You don't have to wait. Start today, Leo, with this little guy and baby Chris. Once he goes back he'll see just how great a dad you are because he'll gain all the memories of this little one."

Leo nodded pulling his son into a tight hug and kissing his forehead. "I love you, little guy, and that will never change," he whispered causing his son to giggle in happiness.

Once they appeared in the kitchen at the Manor Chris stood back as Wyatt opened the fridge and started to pull out stuff to make sandwiches with. Once Wyatt turned around facing his brother he could see how Chris stared at him. He let the items he was holding fall to the counter top on the breakfast bar. "All right, I know you aren't interested in eating but I am, so go ahead and talk while I fix my lunch."

Chris smirked at that. His brother really wasn't as dumb as he acted at times. "So you really aren't gonna let this go until we get back to the future, huh?"

Wyatt knew exactly what his brother was talking about and he also knew how much he disliked the idea too. "Yep."

"Is that really fair to Dad?" Chris asked quietly.

Wyatt didn't answer for a moment as he started to make his sandwich. He wasn't exactly sure how to answer that. No, it wasn't fair, but nothing about the whole situation had been fair yet. "Chris, I don't want to get my hopes up, and you shouldn't either."

Chris snorted at that. "Wy, I've had my hopes up for months, now. It's a little late for that, don't you think?"

Wyatt didn't bother looking up at that. "I'm sorry, Chris. I just can't. If things are fine when we get back to our time then I'll work on the whole father and son thing but for now, I'd rather not."

"Wy, you know you can be a real bastard at times," Chris loved his brother dearly but enough was enough.

Wyatt dropped the knife he was using and looked up. "Chris, I have a right to feel how I feel."

Chris just stared at his brother for several minutes and then he said his final peace on the subject. "Yeah, Wy, you do. But while you're feeling that way, why don't you think of something. You and I will be stepping through that portal and will immediately be in the future. We'll know instantly if things are right or not. But he has to wait twenty-three years to find out whether or not you are gonna hate him for the rest of his life." Chris had no intentions of pulling his punches on this one and he could see how those words made Wyatt flinch. "And there's something else you might consider. He jumped off a bridge to become what you wanted him to be. He didn't do that for me or for mom or anyone else. I tried to convince him not to do it. I knew deep down that something wasn't right about it. But he didn't listen to me. He did that for you, and he nearly died doing it."

Wyatt didn't want to admit to Chris that he had already thought of all of that but was still very hesitant to accept Leo, but he knew Chris wasn't gonna let it go. "Chris, how did you feel about Mom when you first came back to this time?"

Chris was startled by that question but didn't mind answering it. "I loved her. I'll always love her."

"Chris, how did you feel about Piper?" Wyatt corrected.

Then Chris understood what he was getting at. "I was afraid to get too close to her because she might not have been there when I got back…" Chris paused after saying that as it started to make mores sense. "Just like you are afraid that Dad might not be there when you get back." It made perfect sense actually. He should have seen this coming. He had had months to accept Piper as his mom before he was forced to admit it. "I'm sorry, Wy. I should have realized."

Wyatt just shook his head and went back to the sandwich he was making.

"I can tell you something that might help though," Chris spoke up hoping that Wyatt would be willing to listen to him. "Even though I wasn't ready to accept Piper as my mom when I got here, now that I look back at it I wish I had never wasted so much time pretending to be something I wasn't. I wish I hadn't hurt her all of those months. I know it had to be hard for her to keep my secret and to have me so close but not able to tell me that she loved me."

Wyatt didn't answer. He just nodded slightly and finished what he was making. Chris walked over to his brother's side and squeezed his shoulder in a sign of support. "Whatever you decide, I'll be there for you, bro, whether Dad is or not. But believe me when I say that I have complete faith in him."

"Thanks, Chris," Wyatt whispered still looking down at the sandwich he hadn't bothered to eat yet.

"And besides, if things aren't right in the future, I'll just come back and change it again." Chris just couldn't help adding that.

This caused Wyatt to laugh as a smile lit his face. "Mom would tie you up in the basement."

"She'd have to catch me first, and the complete eternity of time provides a lot of hiding places," Chris said in a conspiratorial whisper.

* * *

_2 days later_

Leo found himself sitting in the nursery again just as he spent most of his time since Piper brought Chris home from the hospital. He couldn't get over the fact that he was free to spend as much time with his sons as he wanted. He hadn't realized just how tense he sometimes was before, knowing at any minute he could be called away from them. This was so much better. Chris was asleep in his crib and Leo was holding Wyatt on his lap. His oldest son was almost asleep. It was slightly difficult to think of these two small boys as being his two grown sons who would soon be going back to their own time.

Once he was sure that Wyatt wouldn't wake he moved him into his own crib and tucked a blanket around the napping toddler. He had seen someone come up to the door out of the corner of his eye and was expecting it to be Chris. Before things had gone all wrong Chris had often spent time in the nursery with Leo while they put Wyatt down for his nap. But he was surprised to see his other son standing in the doorframe. He placed one finger in front of his lips in a shushing motion as he moved towards the door. They both walked into the hallway and then into Leo and Piper's bedroom. "Is everything okay?" he asked seeing the very serious look on Wyatt's face.

"Yeah, I'd just like to talk to you about something. Do you mind if we get out of here for a little bit?" Wyatt asked not exactly looking at his father.

"Not at all," Leo answered letting his son grab his arm as they orbed away.

Leo was sort of surprised when they reformed on top of the Golden Gate Bridge but he waited patiently for Wyatt to speak.

"This is okay, right? Shoot, I should have thought about it first." Wyatt realized too late that his father might not exactly enjoy revisiting the place that had almost been the scene of his death.

"It's okay, Wyatt. I still like it up here. I just can't get here on my own anymore," Leo assured him. He didn't regret anything about his decision to take the fall and this was still the most peaceful spot in all of San Francisco.

"Chris always loved it up here too. I wasn't so found at first but I got used to it because of him," Wyatt said remembering the first time Chris had convinced him to orb to the bridge top. At the time Wyatt had refused to tell his brother that he was slightly afraid of heights but he had gotten over that with time. He soon realized that if he wanted to spend time with his brother he'd have to get used to it. Chris was always looking to the skies but now that Wyatt thought about it, maybe Chris had a very good reason for that.

"Chris said you were leaving later today." Leo had already spent several hours with his youngest as they just sat and talked while Chris told him of his hopes for the future he'd return to. Leo had enjoyed the time spent with Chris but he felt as if something was missing without Wyatt there too.

"Yeah… um… did you two happen to talk about me any?" Wyatt wasn't sure how to go about telling his father how he felt and part of him wished that Chris had explained his feelings for him.

"Not really. He said that he hoped you'd want to talk to me before you left but he wasn't sure," Leo said hopefully. If only he could get Wyatt to open up. "Wyatt, I do understand your fears and I don't blame you for them. I just wish that there was some way I could help you with them now."

"Dad, I can't live on blind faith like Chris is right now. I wish it was that easy for me but I've always been the one who had to be the skeptic. It's the only way I knew how to protect him and Mom," Wyatt explained hoping his father could understand.

Leo nodded sadly. He hated the fact that his son had had to grow up that way. "I should've been the one doing that, Wy. I'm sorry you had to take my place. It wasn't fair to you."

Wyatt just shook his head. "They needed me. I couldn't have done any different, but that's beside the point. Things will change if the future goes the way you and Chris want it to."

"Wyatt, I've already promised you that it will. I'm not gonna just repeat myself. But I will tell you that I don't expect anything of you." Wyatt was surprised by those words. He had expected his father to be as pushy about the subject as Chris was. "Wyatt, I love you and in your future when you go through that portal I hope you can start to care for me too. But that's completely up to you."

Wyatt hadn't really looked his father in the eyes for most of the conversation. He had been nervous about doing so but as he glanced up at them he realized just how easily he could read his father's eyes. Just as easily as he could read Chris'. And what he saw there gave him pause. It didn't matter that he had said it was Wyatt's decision; just the thought of being rejected was breaking his heart. "Twenty-three years," he whispered echoing his brother's words from the other day.

Leo had just barely heard it but he didn't comment as he nodded sadly.

His father was willing to walk around through life for twenty-three years with the pain of knowing his son might not ever care for him, just so he wouldn't feel pressured into anything. _'Too long'_ he thought sadly to himself. "Let's say I have a little bit more faith in you, if you promise me that you won't disappoint Chris too much. I know he thinks you walk on water or something and that's a lot to live up to but at least make sure he grows up happier than he did before."

Leo smiled at those words and Wyatt could see a light of hope in his eyes. "That I can do."

Wyatt nodded and turned looking out over the horizon for a moment. "Oh, and don't forget to show us this place. Chris really likes it up here." With that Wyatt reached out and placed a hand on his father's shoulder as they orbed into the attic in the Manor.

Chris and the sisters were waiting there for them. As they reformed both of them noticed Paige hand Phoebe what looked like a five-dollar bill and the look on her face showed she was unhappy about it. Wyatt glanced at his father who shrugged not understanding at all and then looked back to his aunts waiting for an explanation.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. It was only a little friendly wager," Paige said sulking slightly.

Chris rolled his eyes and stood away from the table he'd been leaning against. He walked over to Wyatt who still looked like he wanted to know what was going on. "She bet you'd leave Dad on the bridge."

Wyatt rolled his eyes too. "I'm not twelve, Aunt Paige. Give me a little credit for being able to act like an adult. At least the rest of you had more faith in me."

"Actually, if I had had any money to bet, I'd have bet on Dad ending up in Valhalla again," Chris admitted. "Good thing I'm broke."

Wyatt's mouth gaped slightly at his brother but then he remembered something. "Don't I still owe you for a comment you made before we left?"

Chris just smiled wickedly. He didn't believe that his brother would ever follow through on even one of those threats.

They all knew it was time to go but each of them seemed to be stalling not wanting this to happen yet again. Chris knew it was time though so he decided to start it off. He stepped over to Phoebe first. He remembered the words she had said to him right before he left the time before and couldn't help himself. "You know, Aunt Pheebs, when I was a kid I thought your constant smothering of me was the most annoying thing I'd ever seen." With his words Phoebe's mouth dropped in shock and he could see the stricken look covering her face. "Don't ever change. It's the way you show those you love how you truly feel. I wouldn't want to live in a world without an embarrassing aunt who smothers me all the time."

Phoebe gave him an exasperated look but hugged him anyway then she stepped over to Wyatt hugging him tightly. "How did you ever live with that growing up?" she asked him shooting Chris a small grin.

"It wasn't easy, Aunt Pheebs. I promise you it wasn't." He hugged her back tightly and waited for Chris to move on to their other aunt.

Paige stood and walked over to Chris. "Who taught you to be such a smart alec, Mister?" she asked hugging him tightly.

"That would be you," he answered her returning the hug.

She pulled back looking him straight in the eyes. "I might have done too good a job there." Then she pulled away and made her way to Wyatt. "I think I'm gonna miss you just as much as Mr. Sarcastic over there. We didn't have nearly enough time to get to know you though."

"I'll miss you too, Aunt Paige," Wyatt answered. "Just don't bet against me anymore, okay?" She nodded pulling away. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

Then Chris moved on to his mother. Yet again this would be very hard to do. He wrapped his arms around her trying not to hug her too tightly as he just let himself enjoy the feel of being hugged by her and the wonderful smells he always incorporated in his mind as belonging to her. Reluctantly he pulled back and said something to allay her worries. "Just so you know, we'll arrive twenty-three years in the future to this day. And just like the last time, if things aren't right we'll come right back, okay."

"Can't a mother worry?" she asked as tears sprung to her eyes.

"I would be shocked if you didn't," he said teasingly but then he took on a much more serious tone. "I love you, Mom."

She pulled him back into the hug and whispered into his ear. "Whether you are seven or thirty-seven I'll never get tired of hearing you say that."

Chris had promised himself that he wouldn't cry this time around but there was no way he could keep that promise. "I'll say it forever if you want me too," he said as the tears started to fall from his eyes. They shared a couple more minutes of just hugging each other and then Chris stepped back letting Wyatt take his turn with their mom.

"See, I never realized until now that it was gonna be twice as hard to say goodbye this time around," she said reaching up and folding her oldest son in a hug. "Wyatt, you've always been my sunshine and light. Whatever you do, promise me that you'll stay just like you are today."

"I promise, Mom," he said squeezing her even tighter. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby," she whispered not wanting to let him go. Twice as hard was an understatement.

Chris had moved over to his father's side and Leo had wrapped an arm around his shoulders as they watched Wyatt saying goodbye to their mom. "I don't know anything else to say to you, Chris, except I love you and I'm very proud of you. And I promise to get things right this time around."

"I know you will," he answered with a look of complete faith on his face. With that he hugged his father tightly and said the words that for the past few days had come so easily for him. "I love you, Dad. I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to learn to say that."

Leo found his eyes full of tears again as his son said the words that he had come to crave almost as much as the air he breathed. "Just don't forget to tell me in the future, okay. I know how boys get embarrassed to tell their dads that kind of stuff."

"Everyday, Dad," he promised.

Then Chris backed away and looked towards his brother pulling the spell from his back pocket again. The Triquetra was still waiting on the wall for them.

Wyatt walked over next to Chris who held the spell up ready to say the words, but then something unexpected happened. "Wait a minute, Chris," Wyatt said placing his hand over the spell. Then he glanced up at his father and walked quickly over to him. "Twenty-three years is way to long, Dad." With that he reached out and hugged his father tightly his eyes swelling with tears.

Leo was shocked at first but then he returned his son's hug just as tightly. "I love you, Wyatt," he whispered through the tears streaming down his face.

"I love you too, Dad," came the soft reply. They stood like that for several moments and then Wyatt pulled away wiping the tears from his eyes and backed up next to Chris again. He could see that his brother wore a huge grin and the tears were flowing even harder down his cheeks.

_Hear these words  
Hear the rhyme  
Heed the hope within our minds  
Send us forth to where we'll find  
Our home in place and time_

With that they stepped through the portal side by side and out on the other side. As before their was a second set of themselves waiting there for them and Chris and Wyatt both felt that pulling sensation as they were merged with their new selves. They looked at each other and could see very little difference. "Well so far, so good," Chris commented and then they turned to see three people sitting on the couch waiting for them.

Within seconds they were surrounded by their mom and aunts who were hugging them tightly and making a major fuss over them.

"You'd think they hadn't seen us in years or something," Wyatt teased.

Chris smiled at that but was looking around the attic for the one person who was missing. That fact hadn't passed Wyatt's notice either but he was waiting for Chris to say something.

"Mom, where's Dad?" Chris finally asked.

Piper smiled at her sons and called out, "Leo."

Chris and Wyatt shared a look of fear. There was no way he had gone back to being an Elder or a Whitelighter. _'I swear to god if he orbs in I'm gonna punch him,_' Wyatt thought to himself darkly.

But at that moment footsteps could be heard pounding up the steps and their father was in the door within seconds. "Damn, I missed it, didn't I?" he asked stopping just inside the door.

"You have to pardon him, kids. Getting old is not as fun as he thought it'd be," Paige quipped and both boys could see the age lines on their father's face and the gray hair at his temples.

Both brothers broke out in huge grins as they rushed forward and wrapped their father in hugs and teased him about his gray hair.

After things had calmed some Chris looked over to his brother wrapping one arm around his shoulders and couldn't help but say it. "I told you so!"

Wyatt looked to where his father had one arm wrapped around their mother's waist and was gazing at her like a man who had just fallen in love and she was returning the gaze right back. "For once, Chris, I'm more than glad that you were right and I was wrong."

**The End For Now**

* * *

_A/N: Well that's the end of that one and boy did I **not** want it to end. The last chapter is always the hardest for me to write._

_Anyhow, I need to offer thanks to all of my great reviewers and readers who have stuck with me through this roller coaster ride. You are all the best and I'll never forget the encouragement you've given me._

_Next on my list is to work on my Sacrifice Series, which I know a couple of you were reading but I must warn that I won't be able to update as often on that one. Probably more like once or twice a week. I'm gonna try my hand at writing a book to be published so I'm gonna be busy with that but I won't forget my Charmed stories either. So don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Good night and farewell for now my good friends._


End file.
